FUR-SEAL'S 


'GOT 


KIRK 
MUNROE 


a 


THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH  !'   HE  CKIED 


THE   FUR-SEAL'S   TOOTH 


H  Stors  of  Hlasfean  Hfcventure 


BY 

KIRK    MUNROE 
11 

AUTHOR  OF 

"DORYMATES"  "CAMPMATES"  "CANOEMATES 
"RAFTMATES"  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED 


NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS    PUBLISHERS 
1899 


BY   KIRK   MUNROE. 

RAFTMATES.     A  Story  of  the  Great  River. 
CANOEMATES.     A  Story  of  the  Florida  Reef  and  Everglades. 
CAMPMATES.     A  Story  of  the  Plains. 
DORY  MATES.    A  Tale  of  the  Fishing  Banks. 

Each  one  volume.    Illustrated.     Putt  sw,  Cloth,  $1  35. 
The  set  in  a  box,  $5  00. 


WAKULLA.     A  Story  of  Adventure  in  Florida. 
THE  FLAMINGO  FEATHER. 
DERRICK  STERLING.     A  Story  of  the  Mines. 
CHRYSTAL,  JACK  &  CO.,  and  DELTA  BIXBY.   Two  Stories. 
Each  one  volume.     Illustrated.    Square  Ifimo,  Cloth,  $1  00. 

PUBLISHED  BY  HARPER  &  BROTHERS,  NEW  YOKK. 

JJ3f  fyrsalt  by  all  booksellers,  or  will  be  sent  by  the  publishers 
*    «.  *  •   io  cny  part  of  the  United  States,  Canada,  or 
*  •    ""*  Mexico,  on  receipt  of  price. 


Copyright,  1894,  by  HARPER  &  BROTHERS. 


All  rights  reserved. 


ALASKA 

A  land  of  rock,  dipped  in  the  brine 

Like  a  brown  finyer  pointing  toward  the  west 

*  *  *  *  * 

TJie  little  craft  flies  fast  toJhe  fair  bay 
Whose  waters  kiss  the  feet  of  Sitka  town 

H.  E.  H. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGB 

I.  PHIL  AND  SERGE 1 

II.  WINNING  THE  PRIZE 8 

III.  AN  UNDESIRABLE  ACQUAINTANCE     ....  15 

IV.  ACROSS  THE  CONTINENT 22 

V.  FIVE  BULL'S-EYES  IN  Six  SHOTS 28 

VI.  PHIL'S  SAD  PREDICAMENT 36 

VII.  THE  VALUE  OP  A  TRUE  FRIEND 43 

VIII.  ONE  RESULT  OF  GOOD  SHOOTING      ....  49 

IX.  INTRODUCING  "OLD  KITE  ROBERSON".     .     .  56 

X.  PHIL  DISCOVERS  WHAT  HE  Is 62 

XI.  SEALS  AND  SEAL-SKINS 68 

XII.  CAPTAIN  DUFF'S  SHREWDNESS 75 

XIII.  THE  FIRST  SEAL-HUNT 81 

XIV.  OVERBOARD  IN  THE  NORTH  PACIFIC     ...  88 
XV.  PHIL  BECOMES  "HIGH  LINE" 94 

XVI.  A  VENTURE  INTO  FORBIDDEN  WATERS     .     .  101 
XVII.  CRUEL  KILLING  OF  MOTHER-SEALS  ....  107 

XVIII.  CHASED  BY  A  REVENUE-CUTTER 113 

XIX.  CASTAWAYS  ON  OONIMAK 119 

XX.  BRIMSTONE  AND  FEATHERS 125 

XXI.  LUXURY  ON  A  DESOLATE  ALEUTIAN  ISLAND  .  132 
XXII.  How  JALAP  COOMBS  GOT  His  NAME    .     .     .  139 

XXIII.  KOOGA  THE  ALEUT,  AND  His  BIDARKIE    .     .  145 

XXIV.  A  DOUBLE  WATCH  FOR  SCHOONERS     .    .     .  151 
XXV.  HUNTING  THE  SEA-OTTER  .  158 


Vl  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGK 

XXVI.  SERGE  KILLS  A  BEAK,    AND  JALAP  COOMBS 

DISAPPEARS 165 

XXVII.  PHIL  SEES  HIMSELF  AS  OTHERS  SEE  HIM    .  171 
XXVIII.  PHIL  AND  SERGE  AS  PRISONERS  OF  WAR.     .  178 
XXIX.  A  CRUISE  ON  A  BERING  SEA  CUTTER  .     .     .185 
XXX.  THE  THIRD  LIEUTENANT'S  HUMILIATING  PO- 
SITION     192 

XXXI.  WHERE    is    THE    CENTRE    OF    THE    UNITED 

STATES? 199 

XXXII.  WHY  THE  CUTTER  DEPARTED  WITHOUT  HER 

PASSENGERS .  206 

XXXIII.  IN  HOT  PURSUIT 213 

XXXIV.  MR.  JOHN  RYDER'S  STORY 220 

XXXV.  JALAP  COOMBS'S  PHILOSOPHY 227 

XXXVI.  LOST  AND  DRIFTING  IN  BERING  SEA     .     .     .  284 

XXXVII.  SAVED  BY  A  MIRACLE 241 

XXXVIII.  JAPONSKI'S     TEMPTATION     AND     THE     FUR- 
TRADER'S  OFFER 248 

XXXIX.  SERGE  RECOVERS  A  BIT  OF  LOST  PROPERTY  .  255 
XL.  A  PROSPECT  OF  SNOW-SHOES  AND  SLEDGES   .  262 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


"  *  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH  !'   HE  CRIED  " Frontispiece 

"iN  FACT,  THE  MOUNTAINS  BACK  OF  THE  CITY  WERE 

FULL  OF  GOLD" Facing  page     6 

"IT    WAS   THE    IVORY    TOOTH    OF    A    FUR-SEAL"      ...  "  "           8 

"'l  SAID  IF  YOU  SPOKE  TO  ME  AGAIN  I  WOULD  KNOCK 

YOU  DOWN'" "  "26 

"YES!    IT   WAS — A   GENUINE   HAIDA   DUGOUT"        ...  "  "        30 

A   STREET   IN   VICTORIA "  "34 

"  '  IS  IT  PHILIP  RYDER  OR  HIS  GHOST  !'" "  "40 

"  THE  COVE  IN  WHICH  THE  SAUCY-LOOKING  SEA  MEW  LAY 

AT  ANCHOR" "  "52 

PHIL   SIGNED   THE   ARTICLE   WITHOUT   READING   IT        .      .  "  "        54 

"'YOU  DON'T  DARE  DO  IT.  YOU  ARE  A  COWARD'"  .  "  "   58 

ALASKAN  HALIBUT  HOOK "  "67 

THE  FUR-SEALS  AT  HOME "  "70 

THE    BERING   SEA   PATROL   FLEET "  "72 

"  HE  FOUND  A  BAILER,  WITH  WHICH  HE  SET  VIGOROUS- 
LY TO  WORK" "  "78 

"THE  EYES  OF  ALL  THREE  SEARCHED  THE  WATERS  IN- 
CESSANTLY"    "  "86 

CARRYING  THE  SEAL-SKINS  FROM  THE  SCHOONER  ...  "  "102 

"JUST  THEN  A  SECOND  GUN  WAS  FIRED  BY  THE  PUR- 
SUER"   "  "110 

"MILLIONS  ARE  CAUGHT  FOR  CANNERIES  EACH  YEAR"  •  "  "    128 
"  WITHIN  THREE  MINUTES  THE  MATE  HAD  SECURED  TWO 

FINE    FISH" "  "130 

"  A  SECOND  SHOT  STRETCHED  HIM  DEAD  AT  THEIR  FEET  "  "  "    142 

"  THE  LIGHT  CRAFT  SHOT  AWAY  UP  THE  STRAIT  "    .     .  "  "    148 
"  AFTER  LONG  AND  PAINFUL  STALKING  PHIL  SHOT  TWO 

SEA-LIONS"    .  "  "     162 


Vlll  ILLUSTRATIONS 

"  '  I  TOOK  HER  I'TTO  SITKA  HARBOR,  WHERE  SHE  LIES 

NOW'" .'•'• Facing  page  176 

'"DAUGHTER,  ALLOW  ME  TO  PRESENT  MY  FRIEND  MR. 

PHILIP  RYDER'" "  "178 

A  SEAL  ISLAND  VILLAGE "  "194 

"EVERY  TIME  HE  ATTEMPTED  TO  RISE  THEY  PROMPTLY 

KNOCKED  HIM  DOWN" "  "  196 

"'VERY  WELL,  MR.  BELCOFSKY;   DO  AS  YOU  PLEASE'"  "  "    210 

"'WAL,  MARM — AS  OLD  KITE  ROBERSON  USTER  SAY'"  "  "   216 

GREEK  CHURCH  AND  CUSTOM-HOUSE  AT  OONALASKA  .   .  "  "   224 
JALAP  AND  PHIL'S  FATHER  HEAR  BAD  NEWS  FROM  THE 

BOYS "  "   228 

NOONIVAK    ISLAND   AND   THE    WALRUS-HUNTERS*    HUTS       .  "  "      236 

"'WHITE   MEN,  AS   i  SAID;   AND   AMERICANS,  I'LL   BE 

BOUND!'" "  "246 

OLD  BLOCK -HOUSES  AT  ST.  MICHAELS "  "250 

"TOWING  A  DOZEN  NATIVE  BOATS  BEHIND  HER"  "  "    266 


THE   FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 


CHAPTER  I 
PHIL    AND    SEKGE 

ALTHOUGH  the  sun  was  shining  brightly  over  the 
pleasant  little  British  Columbian  city  of  Victoria,  and 
the  air  was  filled  with  the  flower  scents  and  bird  notes 
of  late  spring-time,  at  least  one  of  the  strollers  along 
its  busy  streets  was  so  decidedly' unhappy  that  he  paid 
no  attention  to  sunshine,  birds,  or  flowers.  Life  just 
then  seemed  a  very  serious  and  perplexing  affair  to 
Phil  Ryder,  and,  to  quote  an  expression  that  he  himself 
had  often  used  in  regard  to  others,  he  looked  as  though 
he  had  lost  his  last  friend.  If  any  one  in  all  that  strange 
foreign  city  had  been  intimate  enough  with  him  to  sug- 
gest this  to  Phil,  he  would  have  replied,  "And  so  I 
have,  for  I  have  lost  my  last  dollar,  and  in  a  strange 
country  I  don't  know  of  any  better  friend  than  the 
good  old  Yankee  dollar." 

How  it  all  happened  was  this  way:  Phil  was  a  New 
England  lad,  and  hailed  from  the  quaint  old  Connecti- 
cut town  of  New  London.  He  was  freckle-faced  and 
curly -headed,  not  very  tall,  but  so  broad-shouldered 
that  no  one  ever  thought  of  asking  him  if  he  was  trav- 
elling for  his  health.  What  with  rowing,  paddling, 
and  sailing,  skating  and  coasting,  playing  football  until 


2  THE  TUB-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

he  became  <?en.v3  i-ash  and  captain  of  his  school  team, 
going  on  long,  delightful  outing  trips  to  the  Maine 
woods  with  his  father,  who  had  been  the  most  pains- 
taking of  teachers  in  the  useful  arts  of  shooting,  fish- 
ing, and  camping  out,  this  boy  had  early  developed 
into  an  all-round  athlete  of  more  than  ordinary  at- 
tainments. With  additional  strength  had  come  an 
increase  of  self-reliance,  until  at  the  age  of  seventeen 
he  was  about  as  independent  and  manly  a  young  fel- 
low as  one  would  be  apt  to  discover  in  a  long  day's 
journey. 

But  this  very  independence  often  led  him  into  trouble. 
Like  most  self-reliant  boys,  he  was  inclined  to  place  an 
undue  value  upon  his  own  knowledge  and  acquirements, 
and  to  make  light  of  those  of  his  elders.  All  except  his 
own  father,  whom  Phil  regarded  as  the  very  wisest  and 
best  of  men,  and  whose  example  in  all  things  he  was 
most  anxious  to  copy. 

And  yet  from  this  very  father  the  boy  inherited  his 
worst  fault,  which  was  that  of  carelessness.  Although 
his  aunt  Ruth,  who  had  brought  him  up  from  the  ba- 
byhood in  which  he  lost  his  mother,  made  a  point  of 
providing  him  with  a  place  for  everything,  and  had 
almost  hourly,  during  his  whole  life,  impressed  upon 
him  the  importance  of  keeping  things  in  their  places, 
he  never  yet  had  learned  the  lesson  she  strove  so  ear- 
nestly to  impart.  He  would  say,  "  Yes,  Aunt  Rue,  I'll 
remember,"  give  her  a  hearty  kiss,  and  rush  away  with 
an  instant  forgetfulness  of  all  she  had  just  said.  He 
lost  and  mislaid  not  only  his  own  things,  but  those  of 
other  people,  until  at  length  no  one  who  knew  him 
would  lend  him  anything  of  value.  He  forgot  mes- 
sages, and  could  not  be  trusted  to  go  on  errands.  He 
was  forever  in  hot  water  on  account  of  broken  engage- 
ments, and  though  naturally  a  bright  student,  was  al- 
ways in  trouble  over  his  lessons  on  account  of  having 


PHIL   AND    SERGE  3 

to  spend  most  of  his  study  hours  in  searching  for  mis- 
laid books.  Generally  they  were  found  flung  into  a 
corner  of  the  stone  wall  bounding  the  football  field, 
tucked  carefully  under  the  steps  of  the  boat-house,  or 
hidden  away  in  some  other  unlikely  place  that  no  one 
but  he  would  have  thought  of,  and  any  one  but  he 
would  have  remembered. 

His  son's  heedlessness  was  Mr.  Ryder's  greatest 
trial. 

"  Philip  !  Philip !  why  won't  you  overcome  it  for  my 
sake,  if  not  for  your  own  ?"  he  would  cry  ;  and  the  boy 
would  answer: 

"  I  do  try,  Pop  ;  indeed  I  do,  but  it's  no  use.  I  was 
born  that  way,  and  I  expect  I  shall  be  that  way  so 
long  as  I  live.  After  all,  I  am  the  one  who  suffers 
most  from  it." 

"  Hold  hard,  Phil !  There's  where  you  are  wrong. 
No  one  can  truly  say  that,  for  no  one  can  ever  know 
how  far-reaching  may  be  the  consequences  of  his  own 
actions.  With  every  single  act  of  carelessness  you 
cause  more  or  less  anxiety  and  inconvenience  to  those 
about  you.  Sooner  or  later,  just  so  sure  as  you  fail  to 
conquer  this  wretched  habit,  it  will  lead  you,  and  prob- 
ably others  with  you,  into  some  unhappy  predicament, 
from  which  I  pray  you  may  escape  without  the  accom- 
paniment of  a  life-long  sorrow." 

After  a  talk  like  this  Phil  would  reform  for  a  day  or 
two.  He  would  present  himself  to  his  astonished  school- 
mates as  a  model  of  punctuality,  and  would  show  an 
attention  to  trifles  that  was  painful  in  its  minuteness. 
These  efforts  at  reform  were  always  accompanied  by 
such  an  unnatural  restraint  of  manner,  so  severe  an  ex- 
pression of  countenance,  and  so  stern  a  refusal  to  en- 
gage in  any  of  the  frivolities  of  life,  such  as  football 
or  even  the  minor  sports  of  the  season,  that  there  was 
always  a  general  rejoicing  when  in  some  sudden  excite- 


4  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

ment  the  young  penitent  forgot  his  vows,  and  relapsed 
into  his  old  jolly,  heedless  self. 

Even  to  Aunt  Ruth  these  brief  seasons  of  austere 
reform  were  periods  of  trial  and  anxiety  lest  by  some 
unguarded  act  or  word  she  should  fail  to  set  her  neph- 
ew a  proper  example.  So  she,  too,  secretly  breathed  a 
sigh  of  relief  when  the  day  of  penance  was  ended,  and 
she  could  resume  her  accustomed  way  of  quietly  pick- 
ing up  and  putting  things  to  rights,  after  one  of  Phil's 
sudden  inroads  through  the  house  in  search  of  some- 
thing that  must  be  found  at  once,  because  all  the  fel- 
lows were  waiting.  He  knew  he  left  it  right  here  ! 
and  what  could  have  become  of  it? 

Phil's  father,  Mr.  John  Ryder,  was  a  mining  expert, 
whose  business  of  examining  into  the  condition  of 
mines,  and  reporting  upon  their  value  for  the  informa- 
tion of  capitalists  or  stockholders,  kept  him  travelling 
pretty  constantly  to  all  sorts  of  out-of-the-way  nooks 
and  corners  of  the  world.  Phil  considered  it  the  most 
delightful  business  in  which  one  could  engage,  and 
longed  for  the  time  to  come  when  he  might  follow 
in  his  father's  footsteps.  He  even  thought  it  a  little 
hard  that  the  latter  would  never  allow  him  to  go  as 
his  companion  upon  any  of  his  distant  journeyings, 
but  insisted  on  his  attending  strictly  to  school  and  his 
studies. 

Mr.  Ryder  always  so  arranged  his  affairs  as  to  spend 
a  part  at  least  of  every  vacation  with  his  boy,  and  then 
they  took  those  long  trips  into  the  woods  that,  up  to 
this  time,  had  formed  the  most  delightful  episodes  of 
Phil's  life.  At  other  times,  when  he  was  at  home,  Mr. 
Ryder  devoted  himself  so  entirely  to  his  son,  and  en- 
tered so  heartily  into  his  pursuits  and  plans,  that  a 
very  strong  bond  of  sympathy  existed  between  them, 
and  the  boy  was  never  so  happy  as  when  in  his  father's 
company. 


PHIL   AND    SEKGE  5 

Now  it  happened  that  the  very  year  in  which  Phil 
was  to  graduate  from  the  New  London  High  School 
found  his  father  engaged  on  an  important  and  pro- 
longed survey  of  mining  property  in  the  distant  and 
little-known  land  of  Alaska.  It  was  a  great  disappoint- 
ment to  both  father  and  son  that  the  former  could  not 
be  present  at  the  latter's  graduation.  At  the  same 
time  there  were  compensations  in  a  promise  of  glitter- 
ing possibilities  held  out  by  Mr.  Ryder. 

"If  you  will  only  graduate  within  five  of  the  head 
of  your  class,  Phil,  you  shall  come  out  and  spend  the 
summer  with  me  in  Alaska,"  he  had  said,  and  the  boy 
knew  that  he  meant  it. 

What  a  prospect  was  thus  held  forth  !  and  what  boy 
in  his  senses  would  refuse  to  work  hard  for  such  a  re- 
ward as  that  ?  A  whole  summer  in  the  distant  wonder- 
land of  the  far  north,  amid  Eskimos  and  Indians,  vol- 
canoes and  glaciers,  wolves  and  bears,  seals  and  salmon  ! 
Every  fellow  in  the  school,  and  nearly  every  boy  in 
town,  for  that  matter,  knew  of  the  splendid  prize  for 
which  Phil  was  striving,  and  they  watched  him  either 
with  feelings  of  mean  envy  that  secretly  hoped  he 
might  lose  it,  or  with  an  honestly  outspoken  hope  that 
he  might  win  it,  according  to  their  dispositions. 

These  New  London  lads  knew,  or  thought  they  knew, 
a  great  deal  about  Alaska ;  for  had  not  Serge  Belcof- 
sky,  a  young  Russo- American  from  Sitka,  attended  one 
of  their  schools  for  a  whole  year  ?  He  had  come  oh  an 
Arctic  whaler  that  had  touched  at  Sitka  on  her  home- 
ward voyage.  With  an  uncommon  perseverance,  and 
a  longing  for  a  better  education  than  he  could  obtain 
at  home,  the  lad  had  worked  his  way  to  New  Lon- 
don on  this  whaler,  had  with  infinite  patience  and  self- 
denial  worked  his  way  through  a  whole  year  of  school- 
ing, and  was  now  working  his  way  back  towards  his 
distant  home  on  a  fishing-schooner  that  had  been  pur- 


chased  in  New  London  by  parties  in  Victoria,  British 
Columbia,  for  use  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

During  his  whole  year  of  schooling  Serge  Belcofsky 
had  been  terribly  homesick,  and  his  intense  longing 
for  his  far-away  northern  home  had  made  it  seem  to 
him  a  veritable  paradise.  Thus  from  the  outpourings 
of  his  full  heart  the  other  boys  had  learned  that,  while 
in  certain  portions  of  Alaska  there  were  such  things 
as  cold  weather,  ice,  snow,  fogs,  and  in  summer-time 
incredible  swarms  of  the  most  blood-thirsty  mosquitoes, 
and  other  unpleasant  features,  these  were  almost  un- 
known in  Sitka,  which  was  by  far  the  loveliest  spot 
on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

There,  according  to  Serge,  for  some  reason  not  made 
quite  clear,  though  probably  on  account  of  the  heat 
from  surrounding  but  perfectly  harmless  volcanoes, 
perpetual  summer  reigned,  flowers  bloomed  incessant- 
ly, and  the  woods,  always  green,  were  filled  with  the 
most  beautiful  birds.  Sitka  itself  was  a  great  and 
wonderful  city,  containing  a  castle,  a  cathedral,' a  fort, 
a  parade  -  ground  for  the  troops  always  stationed 
there,  a  battery  of  heavy  guns,  a  governor's  residence, 
stately  men-of-war  in  its  harbor,  Indians  in  its  suburbs, 
and  a  thousand  other  attractive  features.  Besides  all 
this,  there  were  gold  mines  of  fabulous  richness  on 
every  side  ;  in  fact,  the  lofty  mountains  rising  just 
back  of  the  city  were  full  of  gold. 

This  last  was  the  statement  that  the  boys  most 
doubted  until  it  was  confirmed  by  Phil  Ryder,  who 
happened  to  overhear  both  it  and  their  incredulous  ex- 
clamations. He  knew,  of  course  ;  for  was  not  his  fa- 
ther acquainted  with  all  the  gold  mines  in  the  world  ? 
and  had  he  not  even  now  gone  out  to  set  the  seal  of 
his  approval  on  those  of  Alaska  ? 

Phil  did  not  know  Serge  Belcofsky  very  well  ;  for 
though  the  latter  was  of  about  his  own  age,  he  was  so 


PHIL    AND    SERGE  7 

far  behind  in  his  studies  as  to  be  in  a  lower  class,  and 
so  infinitely  removed  from  a  fellow  of  the  former's 
high  attainments.  At  the  same  tiraey  as  the  young 
Russo-American  did  not  understand  any  of  the  games 
played  by  the  Yankee  boys  in  whose  company  he  found 
himself,  and  was  far  too  busy  earning  his  daily  bread 
to  learn  them,  the  leading  athlete  and  ball -player  of 
the  school  regarded  him  with  a  sort  of  pitying  indiffer- 
ence. He  did  not  altogether  ignore  him,  and  even  on 
occasions  listened  with  the  smiling  indulgence  of  a  su- 
perior to  the  young  Sitkan's  marvellous  tales  of  his 
native  place. 

For  this,  Serge,  who  regarded  Phil  with  an  admira- 
tion that  almost  amounted  to  reverence,  was  deeply 
grateful,  and  when  the  young  hero  of  the  ball  -  field 
went  so  far  as  to  back  up  his  most  doubtful  assertions, 
and  so  establish  them  as  truth  beyond  further  ques- 
tion, his  gratitude  knew  no  bounds.  In  a  vague  effort 
to  express  it,  he  ventured  to  present  Phil  with  his  most 
valued  possession — it  was  the  ivory  tooth  of  a  fur-seal 
exquisitely  carved,  that  had  been  given  to  his  father 
many  years  before,  as  a  token  of  highest  esteem,  by  a 
chief  of  Chilkat  Indians  —  one  of  the  most  powerful 
and  warlike  of  Alaskan  tribes. 

Phil  deigned  to  accept  this  gift,  and  even  went  so 
far  as  to  wear  it  attached  to  his  watch-chain,  to  the  un- 
feigned gratification  of  his  sincere  admirer  and  would- 
be  friend.  Although  Phil's  watch  was  but  an  inexpen- 
sive one  in  a  nickel  case,  and  its  chain  was  of  steel,  this 
new  ornament  attracted  so  much  attention  from  all 
who  happened  to  note  it,  that  the  lad  at  length  began 
to  value  it  rather  highly  himself,  and  to  study  with  in- 
terest the  curious  devices  with  which  it  was  so  beau- 
tifully carved. 


CHAPTER  II 
WINNING   THE    PRIZE 

SERGE  BELCOPSKY  had  departed  early  in  the  year, 
and  Alaska  was  lost  sight  of  by  most  of  the  New  Lon- 
don boys  amid  the  throng  of  more  immediate,  and  to 
them  important,  interests  that  crowded  thick  and  fast 
into  their  lives.  These  were  Billy  Bow's  birthday 
party,  the  opening  of  the  gymnasium,  the  launch  of 
the  new  yacht,  theatricals  for  the  library  fund,  the 
last  skating-match  of  the  season,  and  a  score  of  other 
things  demanding  their  undivided  attention.  Phil  Ry- 
der managed  to  take  some  part  in  all  of  these,  though 
he  was  by  no  means  so  active  nor  so  much  of  a  lead- 
er as  formerly.  That  Alaska  trip  was  to  him  a  living 
reality,  and  he  was  striving  for  it  with  all  his  might. 
Some  of  the  other  fellows  were  provoked  that  he 
should  neglect  sports,  in  which  he  had  so  excelled,  for 
the  mere  purpose  of  studying,  while  there  was  still  so 
much  time  left  in  which  to  attend  to  that. 

"  There  are  two  whole  months  yet  before  gradua- 
tion," argued  Al  Snyder  one  day,  when  he  was  vainly 
endeavoring  to  persuade  Phil  to  undertake  the  coach- 
ing of  the  nine.  "Two  whole  months  !  And  yet  here 
you  are  grinding  away  as  though  examinations  were  to 
begin  to-morrow.  Catch  me  working  like  that !" 

"Oh  yes,  you  would,"  laughed  Phil,  "if  you  had 
the  prize  held  out  to  you  that  I  have." 

"Pshaw!"  ejaculated  Al.  "You  know  you  can  go 
on  that  trip  no  matter  where  you  stand.  Your  gov- 
ernor only  put  it  that  way  to  try  and  make  you  work 


WINNING    THE    PRIZE  9 

a  little  harder.  It's  just  one  of  his  tricks.  They're  all 
up  to  them." 

"  It  is  nothing  of  the  kind  !"  retorted  Phil,  hotly. 
"And  you  don't  know  what  you  are  talking  about 
when  you  speak  in  that  way  of  my  father.  He  never 
said  anything  in  his  life  that  he  didn't  mean.  If  I  am 
inside  of  number  five  I'll  go  to  Alaska,  and  if  I'm  not, 
I  won't.  That's  all  there  is  about  it.  But  I  mean  to 
be  inside,  and  as  I  can't  make  sure  of  that  and  watch 
the  nine  at  the  same  time,  you  see  it  is  impossible  for 
me  to  do  what  you  want." 

So  Phil  stuck  to  his  books,  and  all  of  a  sudden  there 
came  a  letter  from  Mr.  Ryder  stating  that,  as  his  work 
was  drawing  to  a  close  sooner  than  he  had  expected,  and 
as  he  was  more  desirous  than  ever  of  having  his  son 
visit  the  wonderful  country  in  which  he  was  located, 
Phil  might  come  out  to  him  at  once,  without  waiting 
to  graduate,  provided  he  stood  better  than  number 
five  in  all  his  classes. 

Here  was  a  startling  proposition!  Did  he  stand  bet- 
ter than  five  everywhere  ?  The  boy  rapidly  ran  over 
his  position  in  his  several  classes.  He  was  within  the 
magic  number  everywhere  except  in  mathematics,  and 
there  he  stood  at  exactly  five. 

"  I  could  have  stood  better  than  five  there  too,  if  I 
had  not  given  my  chance  to  hump-backed  Jimmy,  the 
other  day,"  he  reflected,  though  he  was  too  honorable 
a  fellow  to  even  have  hinted  at  such  a  thing  aloud. 
He  knew  it,  and  he  thought  Jimmy  himself  knew  it, 
for  he  had  seen  a  quick  flush  rise  to  the  cripple's  pale 
cheek  when  it  happened  ;  but  he  didn't  believe  any 
one  else  did,  nor  did  he  intend  they  should.  Still, 
what  could  he  do  under  the  circumstances  ?  He  was 
not  inside  of  number  five  in  all  of  his  classes. 

The  struggle  was  too  hard  a  one  for  the  boy  to  make 
alone,  and  he  carried  his  perplexities  to  Mr.  Blake,  the 


10  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

head-master  of  his  school.  After  the  latter  had  read 
Mr.  Ryder's  letter,  and  listened  attentively  to  Phil's 
presentation  of  the  facts,  he  laid  his  hand  on  the  lad's 
shoulder,  and  said, 

"Phil,  do  you  remember  the  sentiment  with  which 
you  headed  your  final  composition  of  last  year  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  answered  the  boy  ;  "  of  course  I  do.  My 
father  gave  it  to  me,  and  I  shall  never  forget  it." 

"  What  was  its  exact  wording  ?" 

"  *  Regard  honor  as  more  precious  than  life  itself  ; 
for  without  the  former  the  latter  is  valueless,'  "  re- 
peated Phil,  in  a  low  tone. 

"You  would  hardly  care  to  sacrifice  your  life  for 
the  sake  of  this  trip  ?" 

"No,  sir,  nor  my  honor  either  !"  cried  the  lad,  with 
a  brave  tremble  in  his  voice.  "  So,  as  I  cannot  say  with 
perfect  truth  that  I  am  inside  of  number  five  in  all 
my  studies,  I  will  write  to  father  to-night,  and  tell  him 
the  proposed  trip  must  be  given  up." 

"Spoken  like  the  honest,  true  -  hearted  Yankee  lad 
that  you  are,  Phil  Ryder !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Blake, 
grasping  the  boy's  hand,  and  holding  it  tightly  clasped. 
"  Stick  to  that  principle  through  life,  and  you  will 
have  mastered  the  secret  of  all  true  success.  But  let 
us  look  into  this  matter  a  little  further.  I  happen 
to  have  noticed  a  private  transaction  between  you  and 
lame  Jimmy  the  other  day.  If  you  had  not,  as  I  be- 
lieve purposely,  made  the  same  mistake  that  he  did 
you  would  have  gone  above  him,  and  would  now  stand 
number  four  instead  of  number  five  in  geometry. 
Now,  on  account  of  that  I  have  a  proposition  to  make. 
While  I  am  sorry  not  to  have  you  graduate  with  your 
class,  I  know  that  your  father  has  good  reasons  for 
wishing  you  to  visit  Alaska  this  summer,  while  with 
you  the  desire  to  join  him  there  is  very  great." 

"  Indeed  it  is,  sir !" 


WINNING   THE    PRIZE  11 

"  Well,  then,  if  you  will  give  me  your  word  of  hon- 
or not  to  divulge  a  word  of  their  contents,  I  will  place 
the  forthcoming  examination  papers  of  your  class  in 
your  hands.  If  you  can  satisfactorily  answer  ninety 
per  cent,  of  their  questions,  you  will  stand  safely  with- 
in the  number  named  by  your  father,  and  I  will  give 
you  a  certificate  to  that  effect." 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  sir  !"  cried  Phil,  with  such  a  re- 
vulsion of  feeling  from  deepest  disappointment  to 
brightest  hope,  that  even  the  sunset  seemed  suddenly 
to  have  taken  on  a  new  and  more  radiant  splendor. 
"  Of  course  I  promise  !  and,  of  course,  I  shall  be  only 
too  glad  to  try  the  examinations  !" 

"  Very  well,"  said  Mr.  Blake.  "  Come  to  my  study 
to  -  morrow  evening  directly  after  tea,  and  we  will 
make  a  beginning  with  English  literature  and  Latin. 
In  the  mean  time  don't  mention  to  any  one,  except- 
ing your  aunt,  what  you  are  doing." 

How  thankful  Phil  was  that  he  had  so  used  his  time 
as  to  be  able  to  approach  this  trial  with  confidence, 
and  how  hard  he  did  work  during  the  next  three  days 
in  revising  his  studies  of  the  previous  year  !  What 
anxious  minutes  he  spent  at  the  conclusion  of  the 
third  evening  of  examination,  while  Mr.  Blake  looked 
over  and  marked  the  last  paper,  the  one  in  mathemat- 
ics, that  he  had  just  handed  in. 

"  It's  all  right,  Philip  !"  the  head-master  finally  an- 
nounced, "and  I  do  most  heartily  congratulate  you  on 
your  success.  This  last  paper  brings  your  average  up 
to  ninety-three  per  cent.,  which,  as  compared  with  the 
class  standings  of  the  past  ten  years,  lands  you  well 
within  the  limit  named  by  your  father.  I  therefore 
feel  no  hesitation  in  giving  you  that  rank,  and  you 
may,  with  a  clear  conscience,  start  on  your  journey 
just  as  soon  as  your  preparations  can  be  made.  Good- 
bye !  God  bless  you  !  I  trust  you  will  have  the  glo« 


12  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

rious  time  you  expect,  and  which  you  have  so  honestly 
earned.  I  also  hope  that  in  the  autumn  you  will  ra- 
turn  to  us  with  a  richly  increased  knowledge  of  our 
great  country,  and  particularly  of  that  vast  Northern 
territory  concerning  which  there  is  still  so  little  gen- 
eral information." 

If  the  last  three  days  had  been  busy  ones  for  Phil, 
they  had  been  equally  so  for  his  aunt  Ruth,  for  in  that 
short  time  she  had  been  compelled  to  do  all  the  mak- 
ing ready  and  packing,  for  which  she  had  expected  to 
have  as  many  weeks.  In  these  few  days,  during  the 
infrequent  intervals  that  her  nephew  spared  from  his 
studies,  she  felt  it  her  duty  to  stock  his  mind  with 
stores  of  good  advice  and  oft-repeated  warnings  against 
his  besetting  fault.  He  listened  with  what  patience 
he  could  command,  but  finally  laughingly  declared  that 
it  would  be  necessary  for  him  to  live  at  least  a  hun- 
dred years  to  put  all  her  precepts  into  practice. 

"  Oh,  but  Phil  !"  she  exclaimed,  pausing  in  the  pack- 
ing of  his  trunk  to  emphasize  her  remarks,  "  you  are  so 
young  and  so  careless,  and  the  journey  before  you  is 
so  filled  with  terrible  possibilities  !  I  declare  I  don't 
know  but  that  I  ought  to  go  along  to  take  care  of 
you." 

"  Nonsense,  Aunt  Rue  !"  retorted  the  young  athlete, 
at  the  same  time  picking  up  the  slight  figure  of  his 
anxious  relative  and  swinging  her,  ruffled  and  indig- 
nant, into  his  father's  great  leathern  arm  -  chair  ;  "  if 
I'm  not  old  enough  and  big  enough  now  to  take  care 
of  myself,  I  never  shall  be.  Of  course  I  know  that  I 
have  been  careless  at  times,  and  heedless,  and  all  that. 
I  can  assure  you,  though,  that  my  careless  days  are 
things  of  the  past,  and  that  hereafter  no  graybeard  of 
your  acquaintance  will  afford  a  more  perfect  model  of 
prudence  than  your  humble  nephew.  As  for  you  ! 
well,  the  mere  idea  of  a  dear  little  thing  like  you  wan- 


WINNING    THE    PRIZE  13 

dering  away  out  there  among  the  Siwashes  to  protect 
a  fellow  of  my  size  is  prodigiously  absurd.  It  sure- 
ly is." 

"  Absurd  or  not,  Master  Impudence,  you'll  see  the 
day  more  than  once,  before  this  trip  is  ended,  that 
you'll  wish  your  old  aunty  was  at  hand  with  a  little  of 
her  common -sense  to  help  you  out  of  some  reckless 
scrape  or  other.  Mark  my  words,  you  will." 

"  All  right,  Aunt  Rue,  I'll  mark  down  your  words 
as  you  suggest ;  mark  'em  down  to  half-price.  I'll 
also  make  a  note  in  my  log-book  of  every  time  I  get 
stranded  for  want  of  your  counsel.  Then  when  the 
cruise  is  over  I  promise  to  make  a  full  confession,  and 
humbly  beg  for  those  chunks  of  wisdom  that  shall  en- 
able me  to  steer  clear  of  all  such  rocks  in  the  future." 

"  Get  away  with  your  foolishness,  you  young  scape- 
grace !"  cried  Aunt  Ruth,  jumping  down  from  the 
arm-chair  and  attempting  a  box  on  Phil's  ear,  which 
the  boy  skilfully  dodged,  as  a  preliminary  to  resuming 
her  packing. 

At  length  all  was  in  readiness,  the  last  lingering 
good-byes  were  spoken,  and  the  boy  was  fairly  launched 
on  his  travels.  All  his  young  friends,  and  apparently 
half  the  town  besides,  were  assembled  at  the  station  to 
see  him  set  forth.  His  trunk  was  checked,  he  carried 
an  overcoat  on  his  arm,  in  his  hands  were  a  stout  trav- 
elling-bag, and  in  a  canvas  case  the  beautiful  Winches- 
ter that  had  been  his  father's  last  birthday  gift. 

There  was  a  grand  shout  of  farewell  from  the  fel- 
lows as  the  train  finally  moved  out  from  the  station, 
and  Phil  answered  it  with  a  wave  of  his  hat  from  the 
rear  platform  of  the  last  car.  Then,  going  inside,  he 
sat  down  to  reflect  upon  his  glorious  prospects,  that 
seemed  to  stretch  away  in  a  limitless  haze  of  exciting 
adventure  and  daring  exploit.  If  he  could  have  had 
but  one  real  glimpse  of  the  varied  hardships  and  bitter 


14  THE 

experiences  held  by  the  immediate  future,  I  am  afraid 
he  would  have  shrunk  from  them  as  did  the  poor  little 
bear  who  found  himself  alone  in  the  world  with  all  his 
troubles  before  him.  Fortunately  for  our  hero's  peace 
of  mind,  his  vision  was  just  as  limited  as  is  that  of 
every  one  of  us,  who  can  have  no  possible  inkling  of 
what  each  coming  day  may  bring  forth. 


CHAPTER  III 
AN    UNDESIRABLE    ACQUAINTANCE 

ACCORDING  to  the  plan  laid  out  by  Mr.  Ryder,  Phil 
was  to  make  his  long  journey  across  the  continent 
by  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railway,  which  not  only  offers 
the  most  direct  route  to  Victoria  and  a  connection  with 
the  Alaska  steamers,  but  passes  through  some  of  the 
grandest  and  most  interesting  scenery  in  America.  Mr. 
Ryder's  letter  contained  explicit  instructions  concern- 
ing each  step  of  the  journey,  and  Phil  had  read  these 
over  so  often  that  he  knew  them  by  heart.  It  had  also 
contained  a  bank  check  for  $200,  which  formed  an 
ample  allowance  for  the  proposed  trip.  In  regard  to 
this  Mr.  Ryder  had  written  :  "Above  all,  my  boy, 
take  care  of  your  money,  and  never  display  it  before 
strangers.  You  know  we  are  not  wealthy  people,  and 
though  the  sum  enclosed  is  not  a  large  one,  its  loss  and 
replacement  would  cause  me  a  real  inconvenience." 

"  Of  course  I  will  take  care  of  it,"  said  Phil,  when 
he  and  his  aunt  Ruth  read  this  paragraph  over  to- 
gether, and  she  added  her  caution  to  that  of  his  father. 
"  I  may  lose  some  other  and  less-important  things  now 
and  then,  but  money  is  something  I'm  likely  to  keep 
a  pretty  solid  grip  on,  and  I'd  like  to  meet  the  man 
who'd  dare  try  and  take  it  from  me." 

Here  the  sturdy  young  fellow  glared  about  him  as 
fiercely  as  though  the  room  were  filled  with  robbers, 
with  whom  he  should  take  the  greatest  pleasure  in 
trying  conclusions. 

In  New  London,  Phil's  ticket  could  only  be  pro- 


16 

cured  as  far  as  Montreal,  at  which  place  he  was  to 
purchase  another  that  would  take  him  to  Victoria,  check 
his  trunk  to  the  same  destination,  and  engage  his  sleep- 
ing-car berth  as  far  as  Vancouver.  This  latter  city  is 
the  western  terminus  of  the  Canadian  Pacific,  is  situ- 
ated on  the  mainland  bordering  Puget  Sound,  and  is 
seventy  miles  by  water  from  Victoria,  which  is  on  the 
island  of  Vancouver. 

Before  leaving  home,  Phil's  money,  in  the  shape  of 
bank-bills,  was  placed  in  the  new  alligator-skin  pocket- 
book  which  was  Aunt  Ruth's  parting  gift,  and  thrust 
carefully  into  the  young  traveller's  inside  vest  pocket. 
There,  in  spite  of  his  remonstrances,  his  aunt  fastened 
it  securely  with  two  stout  safety-pins. 

Phil  had  taken  the  journey  to  Montreal  so  often  with 
his  father  that  he  felt  entirely  at  home  in  the  Canadian 
metropolis,  and  knew  just  what  to  do  when  he  reached 
there  early  on  the  following  morning  after  leaving 
New  London.  With  quite  the  air  of  an  old  traveller, 
and  a  slight  feeling  of  contempt  for  the  fluttering  anx- 
iety of  those  who  were  about  to  undergo  their  first 
experience  with  customs  officers,  he  handed  both  his 
check  and  the  key  of  his  trunk  to  the  Windsor  Hotel 
porter,  requested  him  to  send  the  trunk  to  the  Cana- 
dian Pacific  station  after  it  should  have  been  exam- 
ined, and  stepped  into  the  waiting  hotel  'bus,  with  his 
mind  relieved  of  all  further  anxiety  concerning  that 
portion  of  the  business.  As  the  overland  train  would 
not  leave  until  evening,  he  now  had  the  whole  day  be- 
fore him,  and  was  consequently  free  from  hurry  or 
worry  of  any  kind. 

After  a  capital  breakfast,  to  which  he  devoted  an 
hour  of  his  ample  leisure,  he  strolled  into  the  great 
rotunda.  Here  he  wrote  a  note  to  his  aunt  Ruth  on 
the  hotel  paper,  and  felt  imposed  upon  by  being  obliged 
to  pay  three  cents  for  a  Canadian  stamp  with  which 


AN    UNDESIRABLE    ACQUAINTANCE  17 

to  send  a  letter  out  of  the  country,  into  which  a  two- 
cent  American  stamp  would  bring  it.  This  was  so 
clearly  an  extravagance  that  Phil  decided. to  deny  him- 
self the  luxury  of  letter- writing  until  he  should  come 
once  more  within  the  lines  of  the  United  States  mail- 
service.  Having  settled  upon  this  plan  for  saving 
money,  he  purchased  a  silver  souvenir  spoon,  the  handle 
of  which  was  surmounted  by  the  Canadian  beaver,  and 
mailed  it,  together  with  his  letter,  to  his  aunt  Ruth. 

Phil  argued  that  though  this  might  appear  extrava- 
gant, it  really  was  not ;  for  in  return  for  all  her  kind- 
ness he  owed  something  to  his  dear  aunt,  whose  hobby 
was  the  collecting  of  souvenir  spoons.  Besides,  if  he 
neglected  this  opportunity  for  the  securing  of  one  of 
those  beaver  spoons,  he  probably  would  not  meet  with 
another. 

This  transaction  had  hardly  been  finished  when  the 
hotel  porter,  with  a  touch  of  the  hat  that  drew  a  quar- 
ter from  Phil's  pocket,  handed  him-the  key  of  his  trunk, 
and  announced  that  it  awaited  him  in  the  Canadian 
Pacific  station.  So  Phil  strolled  down  to  the  superb 
building  that  rears  its  massive  granite  front  like  that 
of  a  mediaeval  castle  a  short  distance  below  the  Wind- 
sor, bought  his  ticket,  and  checked  his  trunk  to  Vic- 
toria. Then,  for  twenty  dollars  more,  he  engaged  a 
lower  berth  in  a  sleeping-car  that  would  run  to  Van- 
couver without  change. 

These  expenditures  reduced  his  available  cash  to  a 
one-hundred-dollar  bill  and  a  twenty.  As  the  latter 
would  be  needed  for  meals,  etc.,  en  route,  he  tucked  it 
into  a  vest  pocket,  but  the  larger  bill  he  restored  to  his 
pocket-book,  which  now  looked  so  flat  it  was  hard  to 
realize  it  was  not  empty. 

While  he  was  struggling  to  recommit  this  to  the 
security  of  its  safety-pins,  and  the  sleeping-car  clerk 
was  watching  him  with  a  slight  smile  that  caused  the 


18  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

lad's  face  to  flush,  he  became  conscious  that  a  young 
fellow,  apparently  a  few  years  older  than  himself,  was 
standing  near,  and  regarding  his  precautions  for  se- 
curing his  money  with  something  very  like  a  sneer. 

Instantly  Phil  was  seized  with  a  hot  indignation, 
under  the  impulse  of  which  he  blurted  out,  "  Well, 
sir !  I  trust  that  I  afford  you  sufficient  amusement  to 
excuse  your  rudeness." 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  the  young  man.  "  Were  you  ad- 
dressing me  ?  I  am  glad  you  spoke,  for  I  see  by  your 
ticket  that  we  are  to  be  travelling  companions  together 
across  the  continent.  My  name  is  Goldollar — Simon 
Goldollar — and  I  am  from  New  York.  I  presume  you 
also  are  from  the  States  ?" 

Completely  disarmed  by  this  polite  speech,  and  feel- 
ing heartily  ashamed  of  his  own,  Phil  accepted  the 
stranger's  advances,  and  allowed  himself  to  be  drawn 
into  a  conversation.  At  the  same  time  he  was  not  at 
all  prepossessed  by  the  other's  appearance  or  manner. 
Still,  he  reflected  that  if  they  were  to  be  shut  up  in  the 
same  car  together  for  the  next  five  or  six  days,  it  would 
be  much  pleasanter  that  they  should  be  on  friendly 
terms  than  otherwise.  So  he  told  Mr.  Simon  Goldol- 
lar his  own  name,  confided  to  him  that  he  was  on  his 
way  to  Alaska,  and  they  walked  out  of  the  station  to- 
gether. 

"  Going  to  Alaska,  are  you  ?"  asked  the  stranger. 
"  Taking  the  regular  tourist  trip,  I  suppose  ?" 

"  I  don't  know  what  the  regular  trip  is,"  answered 
Phil.  "  I  am  going  as  far  as  Sitka." 

"  Oh  yes,  just  to  the  edge  of  Alaska,  and  then  you'll 
come  away  thinking  that  you  know  it  all,  like  the  rest 
of  the  tourists.  If  you'd  studied  the  country  as  I  have, 
you'd  realize  that  Alaska  is  a  mighty  big  place,  and 
that  you  must  spend  months  and  thousands  of  dollars 
in  travelling  over  it  before  you  know  much  about  it." 


AN    UNDESIBABLE    ACQUAINTANCE  19 

"  Have  you  done  that?"  asked  Phil,  simply. 

"  Well,  no,  not  exactly  ;  but  I'm  expecting  to  in  the 
near  future — that  is,"  he  added,  with  a  slight  air  of 
confusion,  "I  have  particular  reasons  for  wishing  to 
take  the  trip,  and  if  things  work  out  all  right  I  hope 
to  be  able  to  do  it.  By-the-way,  I  suppose  you've  laid 
in  your  supply  of  hardware  ?" 

"  Hardware  ?"  repeated  Phil,  in  a  puzzled  tone. 

"  Yes  ;  wet  goods,  you  know.  Montreal's  the  very 
best  place  for  providing  the  stock." 

"  I  can't  imagine  what  you  mean." 

Again  a  slight  sneer  flitted  across  Mr.  Simon  Goldol- 
lar's  face  as  he  explained  that  "hardware"  arid  "wet 
goods"  were  but  polite  terms  for  liquor,  with  a  flask 
of  which  every  "  travelling  gent "  should  provide  him- 
self before  going  aboard  a  train. 

"  I  don't  see  why  liquor  should  be  more  necessary  on 
board  a  train  than  anywhere  else,"  said  Phil. 

"Nor  I,"  replied  Simon  Goldollar;  "for  to  me  it's 
just  as  necessary  in  one  place  as  another." 

"And  as  I  am  not  a  *  travelling  gent,'"  continued 
Phil,  "  and  have  never  touched  liquor  in  my  life,  and 
don't  ever  intend  to,  I  can't  see  why  I  should  provide 
myself  with  a  flask  of  it." 

"  How  about  being  ready  for  your  friends  ?" 

"  I  am  always  ready  for  my  friends,  and  glad  to  see 
them,  and  willing  to  treat  them  to  the  best  of  every- 
thing I  may  happen  to  have  ;  but  none  of  my  friends 
have  any  more  use  for  liquor  than  I  have." 

"  You  and  your  friends  must  be  a  precious  spooney 
lot,"  muttered  Simon  Goldollar  to  himself ;  but  aloud 
he  said  :  "  Oh,  well,  you  are  young  yet,  and  not  rid  of 
your  Yankee  notions.  Wait  till  you've  been  out  on 
the  coast  a  few  months,  and  you'll  sing  a  different 
tune." 

"  I  guess  not,"  replied  Phil,  stoutly.    "  For  I'm  sing- 


20  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

ing  the  same  tune  now  that  my  father  sings,  and  he 
has  been  out  on  the  '  coast,'  as  you  call  it,  for  a  good 
many  years,  off  and  on." 

"  Well,  you  must  admit  that  it's  a  mighty  good 
medicine  to  have  along,  and  a  fine  thing  for  sickness." 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  lad,  dryly ;  "  I  have  often  heard 
my  father  say  that  liquor  was  one  of  the  best  things 
in  the  world  for  sickness  ;  but  that  he  would  rather 
not  be  made  sick  in  that  way." 

"  I  suppose  your  father  doesn't  smoke  either  ?" 

"  Oh  yes  he  does  ;  he  smokes  a  cigar  every  evening 
after  dinner." 

"  Then  of  course  you  follow  his  example,  and  do  the 
same  thing  ?" 

"Then  of  course  I  do  nothing  of  the  kind.  I  don't 
know  what  I  may  do  when  I  become  twenty-one  years 
of  age  ;  but  I  gave  him  my  promise  long  ago  never  to 
smoke  even  a  cigarette  until  that  time.  Besides,  I'm 
on  a  football  team,  and  a  fellow  who  smoked  would  be 
fired  out  of  that  quick  enough,  I  can  tell  you.  Now,  as 
we  are  at  my  hotel,  I  think  I  will  go  in  and  write  some 
letters." 

Phil  said  this  with  the  hope  of  shaking  off  the  com- 
panion whose  presence  was  anything  but  agreeable  to 
him  ;  but  the  other  remarked  : 

"  Oh  !  you  put  up  at  the  swell  hotel,  do  you  ?  Well, 
I  guess  I'll  go  in  and  write  a  letter  too." 

"I  didn't  know  you  were  stopping  here.  I  didn't 
see  you  at  breakfast,"  said  Phil. 

"  No,  nor  you,  won't  see  me  at  dinner,  either,  unless 
some  of  my  friends  happen  to  give  me  an  invite.  All 
the  same,  I  write  my  letters  to  the  firm  from  here,  and 
send  in  my  expense  bills  from  here.  That's  the  only 
way  to  make  money  on  the  road  nowadays.  Charge 
up  first-class  hotel  prices,  live  at  restaurants,  and  pocket 
the  difference.  See?  That  is  the  reason  I'm  going 


AN    UNDESIRABLE    ACQUAINTANCE  21 

West  by  this  route,  too,"  continued  Simon  Goldollar, 
who  seemed  anxious  to  show  off  his  smartness  before 
this  new  and  evidently  very  verdant  acquaintance. 
"  The  scheme  is  to  charge  up  the  highest  possible  rail- 
road fares,  and  travel  on  scalped  tickets.  Oh,  it's  a 
great  racket !  and  the  sooner  you  get  onto  it  the  better 
for  your  pocket-book." 

"  Thank  you,"  answered  Phil,  in  a  tone  that  ex- 
pressed as  much  of  disgust  as  he  could  throw  into  it. 
"Whenever  I  find  it  necessary  to  make  my  living  by 
turning  '  road  -agent,'  which  is  what  I  suppose  you 
mean  by  ( going  on  the  road,'  I  will  remember  your 
advice  ;  but  now  you  really  must  excuse  me  if  I  leave 
you  for  a  while." 

With  this,  and  without  giving  the  other  a  chance  to 
reply,  the  lad  turned  and  left  the  hotel.  He  took  a 
long  walk  through  the  city,  and  when  he  returned  for 
dinner  was  thankful  to  find  no  trace  of  his  late  com- 
panion. "I've  almost  a  mind  to  stop  over  and  take  to- 
morrow's train  in  order  to  avoid  him,"  he  said  to  him- 
self ;  but  reflecting  that  this  would  be  cowardly  as  well 
as  extravagant,  he  decided  to  adhere  to  his  original 
plan. 


CHAPTER  IV 
ACROSS    THE    CONTINENT 

IN  his  journeyings  thus  far  it  may  have  been  re- 
marked that  our  careless  hero  had  been  a  model  of 
prudence  and  forethought.  About  this  time,  how- 
ever, his  old  habits  began  to  assert  themselves.  Thus, 
before  the  end  of  the  first  day  out  from  Montreal  his 
belongings  were  so  scattered  from  one  end  of  the 
sleeping-car  to  the  other,  that  its  good-natured  black 
porter  was  kept  constantly  on  the  alert  gathering 
them  up  and  restoring  them  to  their  owner.  At  the 
same  time,  by  his  cheerful  disposition  and  obliging 
manners  the  young  fellow  made  himself  a  universal 
favorite.  Especially  was  this  the  case  with  the  weary 
mothers,  whose  restless  children  he  was  always  ready 
to  amuse  and  entertain. 

To  these  children  the  quaintly  carved  tooth  that 
dangled  from  his  watch-chain  was  a  source  of  never- 
failing  delight.  It  was  also  considered  a  great  curiosity, 
and  examined  with  interest  by  the  older  passengers, 
while  Simon  Goldollar,  who  managed  to  maintain  an 
appearance  of  intimacy  with  its  owner,  asked  many 
questions  concerning  it.  "Was  it  not  a  witch  charm  ? 
Did  its  engraved  figures  represent  totems  ?"  etc.,  to  all 
of  which  Phil  had  to  plead  ignorance. 

One  day  he  detached  it  from  its  chain  to  give  it  to 
a  fretful  baby  as  a  plaything.  At  the  same  time  he 
gave  his  watch  to  another  child.  Then,  attracted  by 
a  bit  of  scenery  that  was  best  visible  from  the  smoking- 


ACROSS   THE    CONTINENT  23 

room  at  the  rear  end  of  the  car,  he  went  off  and  forgot 
all  about  them. 

A  few  hours  later  one  mother  returned  his  watch  to 
him  ;  while  the  other  said  that,  after  her  infant  had 
nearly  choked  himself  in  trying  to  swallow  the  fur- 
seal's  tooth,  she  had  taken  it  from  him  and  laid  it  on 
the  window-sill  of  Phil's  seat.  In  the  mean  time  the 
berths  had  been  made  up  for  the  night,  and  it  was 
nowhere  to  be  seen.  Its  owner  good-naturedly  said, 
"No  matter,  it  will  turn  up  again  somewhere,"  and 
thought  no  more  about  it  until  the  next  day.  Then  a 
vigorous  search  was  instituted  for  the  missing  trinket, 
but  with  no  avail.  It  was  not  to  be  found,  nor  was  it 
again  seen  during  the  remainder  of  the  journey. 

Phil  felt  badly  over  the  loss  of  the  fur-seal's  tooth, 
because  the  universal  interest  it  had  excited  led  him 
to  believe  it  more  valuable  than  he  had  at  first  sup- 
posed. Also  because  of  Serge  Belcofsky,  of  whom  it 
had  been  a  constant  reminder,  and  whose  good  quali- 
ties grew  more  and  more  apparent  to  our  hero  with  the 
lapse  of  time  and  distance.  He  wondered  if  any  one 
could  have  stolen  the  bit  of  carved  ivory  ;  but  being 
of  a  singularly  honest  and  unsuspicious  nature,  he  dis- 
missed this  thought  almost  before  it  was  formed. 

So  the  eventful  journey  wore  on,  with  each  day  more 
full  of  strange  and  wonderful  interest  than  its  pred- 
ecessor. The  scenery  of  the  first  day  was  an  almost 
unbroken  forest  with  queer  settlements  at  wide  inter- 
vals. It  was  rather  monotonous,  and  to  beguile  the 
time  Simon  Goldollar  induced  Phil  to  join  him  and 
two  others  in  a  game  of  cards.  The  lad  did  not  care 
much  for  the  game,  and  only  entered  it  rather  than 
appear  ill-natured  or  disobliging.  When  at  the  end  of 
an  hour  he  expressed  a  wish  to  withdraw,  Simon  Gol- 
dollar informed  him  that  he  could  do  so  upon  payment 
of  the  two  dollars  he  had  lost,  as  they  had  been  play- 


24  THE  FTJK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

ing  for  a  shilling  a  point.  At  this  Phil  sprang  from 
his  seat  in  a  sudden  fury. 

"  So  you  are  a  gambler,  are  you  !  And  I  have  been 
led  blindfolded  into  your  trap*!"  he  cried.  "Very 
well,  sir  ;  there  is  your  wretched  money  ;  and  now,  if 
you  ever  mention  cards  to  me  again,  or  in  fact  if  you 
dare  speak  to  me  on  any  subject,  I  will  knock  you 
down."  With  this  the  lad  flung  two  silver  dollars 
upon  the  table  and  left  the  room,  almost  choked  with 
the  tumult  of  his  feelings. 

He  heard  Goldollar's  sneering  laugh  and  his  remark 
of  "  Pretty  loud  crowing  for  a  bantam,  eh  ?"  and  he 
heard  one  of  the  other  men  say  something  about  its 
being  too  bad;  but  he  did  not  wait  for  anything  more. 

Afterwards  both  the  strangers  apologized  to  him  for 
their  apparent  share  in  the  deception,  saying  that  Gol- 
dollar  had  told  them  before  the  game  began  that  it 
was  understood  by  all  they  were  to  play  for  money. 
The  author  of  this  unpleasant  scene  did  not,  however, 
see  fit  to  offer  any  apology  for  his  share  in  it,  nor  did 
he  and  Phil  exchange  aught  save  black  looks  for  sev- 
eral days. 

Our  lad  was  too  manly  a  fellow  to  allow  an  incident 
of  this  kind  to  affect  him  for  long,  and  he  was  soon  en- 
joying the  trip  as  keenly  as  ever. 

The  second  day  was  passed  amid  the  rugged  sce- 
nery of  Thunder  Bay  and  the  northern  shores  of  Lake 
Superior,  greatest  of  fresh -water  seas.  It  was  fol- 
lowed by  their  arrival  in  the  early  morning  of  the 
third  day  at  Winnipeg,  the  old  Fort  Garry  of  fur- 
trading  times.  This  fort  had  played  so  conspicuous  a 
part  in  the  stories  of  Phil's  boyhood  that  he  gazed 
about  him  on  all  sides  with  an  eager  interest,  and  was 
disappointed  to  find  the  Hudson  Bay  Company's  post 
of  romance  grown  into  a  fair  and  wide-spread  city. 

Here,  with  the  crossing  of  the  Red  River,  the  forest 


ACROSS    THE    CONTINENT  25 

country  ended,  and  the  treeless  plains  of  Manitoba, 
once  the  range  of  countless  buffalo,  but  now  one  of 
the  greatest  wheat  regions  of  the  world,  began.  As 
the  train  rushed  across  the  vast  breezy  levels  at  an 
accelerated  speed  the  far-reaching  view  with  its  myriad 
objects  of  interest  was  exhilarating  in  the  extreme,  and 
Phil  gazed  upon  it  for  the  greater  part  of  two  days 
without  a  trace  of  weariness.  Here  were  old  buffalo 
trails  and  wallows ;  there  a  fleeing  band  of  antelope 
or  a  skulking  coyote.  Now  a  party  of  mounted  Black- 
feet  in  all  the  bravery  of  savage  decoration  would 
dash  up  to  some  little  station  at  which  the  train  was 
stopping.  A  few  minutes  later  it  would  whirl  past  a 
cluster  of  their  tepees  looking  exactly  like  the  pict- 
ures of  Indian  camps  he  had  pored  over  so  often  in 
his  books.  He  saw  cowboys,  too,  and  great  herds  of 
cattle.  He  saw  a  vast  wheat  ranch,  containing  one 
hundred  square  miles  of  land,  divided  into  fields  of 
such  size  that  in  them  the  ploughing  of  a  single  furrow 
was  a  day's  work  for  a  man  and  team. 

At  length,  during  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day, 
soon  after  leaving  the  brisk  little  city  of  Calgary,  Phil 
caught  a  glimpse,  far  ahead,  of  something  that  caused 
him  to  rub  his  eyes  and  look  again.  It  was  high  up 
and  of  dazzling  whiteness.  It  could  not  be  a  cloud. 
No,  it  must  be  snow.  Yes,  it  actually  was  a  snow- 
capped peak  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  As  the  dis- 
covery burst  upon  him  in  all  its  magnitude  Phil 
uttered  a  shout  of  delighted  wonder  that  attracted 
the  attention  of  every  one  in  the  car,  and  all  the  pas- 
sengers crowded  to  the  windows  to  look. 

From  this  on  all  was  excitement,  which,  as  the  won- 
drous panorama  of  glistening  peaks  was  unfolded  and 
uplifted,  until  finally  the  train  plunged  into  their  very 
midst,  increased  with  each  moment.  Now  an  open 
observation-car  was  attached  to  the  train,  and  as  it 


26  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

sped  up  the  narrow  valley  of  the  crystal  Bow,  the 
ever-changing  and  ever- fascinating  view  was  unob- 
structed. On  they  hurried,  past  Banff,  with  its  sky- 
piercing  peaks,  its  boiling  springs,  and  its  stately  hotel ; 
and  past  Laggan,  the  point  of  departure  on  horseback 
for  the  marvellously  beautiful  lakes  of  the  clouds. 
Ten  miles  further  on  the  Great  Divide  was  crossed, 
and  with  a  thrill  our  young  traveller  realized  that  the 
rivulet  flowing  beside  the  track  was  the  head-waters 
of  the  Kicking  Horse,  a  tributary  of  the  mighty  Co- 
lumbia, and  the  first  Pacific  waters  he  had  ever  seen. 

From  here,  for  a  hundred  miles  down  the  western 
slope  of  the  Rockies,  and  over  the  majestic  Selkirk 
Range,  the  scenery  was  so  indescribably  grand,  so 
filled  with  lofty  mountain  peaks,  fathomless  gorges, 
gleaming  glaciers,  and  foaming  cataracts,  that  no 
words  can  tell  of  it,  and  even  the  enthusiasts  of  the 
observation-car  were  awed  into  silence.  As  for  Phil 
Ryder,  who  had  never  even  imagined  anything  so 
marvellous,  he  sat  and  gazed  alone,  and  with  swelling 
heart,  at  the  wonders  unfolded  by  each  succeeding 
moment.  The  majesty  of  that  day's  scenery  was  so 
overpowering  that  he  was  actually  glad  when  night 
came  and  hid  it  from  his  wearied  eyes. 

On  the  following  day,  which  was  to  be  his  last  on 
the  train,  the  strange  grandeur  of  the  mighty  Fraser 
Canon  was  almost  as  bewildering  as  that  of  the  moun- 
tains already  left  behind,  and  the  lad  drew  a  long  sigh 
of  relief  when  the  train  finally  emerged  from  it,  and 
entered  the  comparatively  level  country  that  stretched 
away  to  the  western  ocean. 

At  one  pretty  little  station  where  the  train  stopped 
for  dinner,  Phil,  having  exhausted  his  change,  was 
obliged  to  take  the  one-hundred-dollar  bill  from  his 
securely  hidden  pocket-book.  Simon  Goldollar  watched 
him,  and  when,  in  the  haste  of  departure,  the  lad  thrust 


I  SAID    IF   YOU    SPOKE    TO    ME    AGAIN    I    WOULD    KNOCK    YOU    DOWN  '  " 


ACROSS    THE    CONTINENT  27 

both  his  wallet  and  the  wad  of  bills  he  had  just  re- 
ceived in  change  into  one  of  the  pockets  of  his  over- 
coat, instead  of  putting  it  into  the  place  where  his 
treasure  had  been  kept,  the  former  noted  this  action 
also.  A  minute  later  the  overcoat  was  carelessly  flung 
into  a  seat  of  the  sleeper,  while  its  young  owner  joined 
a  group  of  passengers  who  had  called  to  him  from  one 
end  of  the  car. 

At  the  last  stop  before  reaching  Vancouver,  Simon 
Goldollar  approached  Phil,  who  was  walking  beyond 
the  end  of  the  platform.  "Let's  make  up  and  be 
friends,"  he  said,  extending  his  hand.  "  I  don't  bear 
no  hard  feelings,  and  to  prove  it  I'll  put  you  onto  a 
big  scheme  by  which  you  can  double  your  money  in 
no  time.  Buy  opium  in  Victoria,  run  it  into  Alaska, 
and—" 

"  Mr.  Simon  Goldollar,"  interrupted  Phil,  regarding 
the  other  with  blazing  eyes,  "I^once  said  that  if  you 
ever  spoke  to  me  again  I  would  knock  you  down,  and 
I  never  go  back  on  rny  word." 

With  this  the  young  athlete  stepped  forward  with  so 
threatening  and  determined  an  aspect,  that  Mr.  Simon 
Goldollar,  with  one  terrified  glance,  sought  safety  in 
precipitate  flight,  nor  did  he  pause  until  he  had  gained 
the  shelter  of  the  train. 


CHAPTER  V 
FIVE  BULL'S-EYES  IN  six  SHOTS 

"!T  doesn't  seem  exactly  the  thing  to  frighten  a  fellow 
half  to  death  just  when  he  is  making  friendly  advances 
to  you,"  reflected  Phil,  as  he  watched  the  flying  figure 
of  Mr.  Goldollar,  "but  what  else  could  I  do?  I  had 
to  try  and  keep  my  promise.  Besides,  how  dared  he 
to  insult  me  with  such  a  proposal  ?  The  idea  of  sug- 
gesting that  I  should  turn  smuggler  !"  At  this  thought 
the  lad's  blood  boiled  with  such  indignation  that  he 
felt  inclined  to  follow  Mr.  Goldollar,  and  still  further 
impress  upon  him  the  lesson  he  had  just  received.  Be- 
fore he  could  carry  out  this  intention,  however,  the 
train  started,  and  he  was  obliged  to  let  well  enough 
alone,  at  least  for  the  present. 

As  for  Mr.  Simon  Goldollar,  his  feelings  had  received 
a  much  greater  hurt  than  that  with  which  his  body 
had  been  threatened,  and  as  he  slipped  into  a  seat  in  the 
smoking-car,  as  far  as  possible  from  the  one  occupied 
by  Phil,  his  dark  features  were  distorted  with  rage. 

"  I'll  pay  you  for  this  outrage,  very  suddenly  and 
with  compound  interest,  you  canting  young  hypocrite 
you !"  he  muttered,  at  the  same  time  shaking  his  fist 
vaguely  in  the  direction  of  the  sturdy  lad,  against 
whom  in  a  fair  fight  he  would  have  stood  no  better 
chance  than  an  infant.  He  did  not  re-enter  the  sleeper 
until  after  the  train  reached  Vancouver,  so  that  Phil 
did  not  see  him  again,  and  wondered  without  much 
caring  whether  he  had  not  been  left  behind. 

During  the  last  few  miles  of  that  eventful  overland 


FIVE  BULL'S-EYES  IN  six  SHOTS  29 

journey  Phil  was  so  busy  gathering  up  his  belongings, 
repacking  his  bag,  and  bidding  farewell  to  those  of  his 
fellow-passengers  who  were  to  stop  in  Vancouver,  that 
he  forgot  all  about  the  scenery.  Consequently  when 
the  train  stopped  for  the  last  time,  and  the  porter 
called  out:  "Vancouver!  Change  here  for  Victoria, 
Japan,  and  China !"  it  seemed  incredible  that  the 
sparkling  waters  visible  through  the  car  window  could 
be  those  of  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

They  were,  though,  or  rather  they  were  the  waters 
of  Burrard  Inlet,  an  arm  of  Puget  Sound,  on  which 
the  new  but  rapidly  growing  city  of  Vancouver  is 
located.  Just  across  the  wharf,  at  one  side  of  which 
the  train  had  stopped,  lay  a  great  white  clipper-bowed 
steamship,  bearing  the  name  in  letters  of  gold  Em- 
press of  India.  She  was  one  of  the  fleet  of  superb 
ocean  flyers  that  form  the  Canadian  Pacific's  connect- 
ing link  between  America  and  Asia.  The  mere  sight 
of  this  beautiful  ship,  and  of  the  Japanese  stewards 
and  cabin-boys  clustered  on  her  snowy  decks,  made 
Phil  feel  as  though  he  had  indeed  joined  the  great 
army  of  "  globe-trotters." 

There  was  but  scant  time,  though,  for  romantic 
reveries  concerning  the  Orient,  for  near  the  Empress 
lay  the  Premier,  another  though  much  smaller  white 
steamer,  waiting  to  convey  to  Victoria  such  passengers 
and  mail  as  the  train  had  brought. 

This  boat  had  hardly  left  the  wharf,  with  Phil  com- 
fortably seated  on  deck,  his  bag  and  gun  beside  him, 
and  his  overcoat  lying  across  his  knees,  before  the  ex- 
citable lad  sprang  to  his  feet  and  ran  to  the  opposite 
side.  He  had  caught  a  glimpse  as  the  steamer  swung 
of  what  he  believed  to  be  a  canoe.  Yes !  it  was — a 
genuine  Haida  dugout  with  projecting  beaklike  prow, 
and  an  Indian  crew  who  were  wielding  queer-looking 
sharp-pointed  paddles.  It  was  precisely  like  the  pict- 


30 


THE    FUK-SEAL  S    TOOTH 


ures  in  books  of  British  Columbian  travel,  and  Phil  re- 
called at  once  that  it  was  fashioned  out  of  one  of  the 
huge  straight-grained  logs  of  yellow  cedar  that  are 
only  found  on  that  coast.  He  remembered,  too,  that 
after  it  had  been  laboriously  hollowed  out,  and  shaped 


"  YES  !    IT   WAS — A   GENUINE   HA1DA   DUGOUT  " 

with  fire,  adze,  and  hatchet,  it  was  steamed  by  means 
of  hot  stones  and  boiling  water,  until  its  sides  could 
be  flared  out  so  as  to  give  it  beam  and  stability.  They 
are  held  in  this  position  by  means  of  crossbars  ;  but 
the  process  renders  the  wood  so  liable  to  split  if  ex- 
posed for  any  length  of  time  to  a  hot  sun,  that  when 
hauled  up  on  a  beach  the  canoe  must  be  entirely  cov- 
ered with  mats  or  blankets,  and  while  in  use  water 
must  every  now  and  then  be  dashed  over  its  sides  to 
keep  them  damp. 


31 

While  Phil  was  watching  this  canoe,  and  wishing 
he  were  in  it  instead  of  on  board  a  prosaic  every-day 
steamer,  a  gentleman  approached  him  .holding  some- 
thing in  his  hand,  and  saying,  "  I  believe  this  is  yours?" 

It  was  a  pocket-book. 

"I  don't  think  it  can  be  mine,  sir,"  began  Phil, 
politely,  at  the  same  time  clapping  a  hand  to  the 
side  where  he  was  accustomed  to  feel  every  now  and 
then  for  his  precious  money.  An  expression  of  com- 
ical dismay  overspread  his  face.  "  Good  gracious  ! 
yes  it  is,  too!"  he  cried,  extending  his  hand  for  his 
property. 

"  I  thought  it  must  be,"  replied  the  gentleman,  with 
a  smile,  "  for  I  saw  it  drop  from  your  overcoat  as  you 
left  your  seat  to  come  to  this  side  of  the  boat.  It 
seems  to  me,  though,  that  an  overcoat  is  hardly  the 
proper  place  for  carrying  a  pocket-book.  One  is  so  apt 
to  leave  it  lying  round." 

"  That  is  just  what  I  think,  sir,"  answered  Phil,  with 
a  laughably  rueful  expression  of  countenance.  "I 
didn't  mean  to  leave  it  there,  I  can  assure  you,  and 
didn't  know  that  I  had.  The  sleeping-car  porter  picked 
it  up  from  the  floor  while  I  was  doing  up  my  things, 
and  as  I  had  my  overcoat  on  I  just  stuck  it  into  one  of 
the  pockets  for  a  second,  meaning  to  place  it  where  it 
belonged  directly  afterwards.  Then  we  got  in,  and 
with  the  confusion  I  forgot  all  about  it.  But  I  will 
put  it  away  safe  enough  now,  and  I  am  awfully  obliged 
to  you,  sir,  for  I  couldn't  well  afford  to  lose  what  it 
contains." 

Thus  saying,  Phil  restored  the  wallet  that  his  care- 
lessness had  so  nearly  lost  to  his  inner  vest  pocket,  and 
after  a  prolonged  struggle  succeeded  in  securing  it 
there  with  his  aunt  Ruth's  trusty  safety-pins. 

The  gentleman  watched  this  proceeding  with  an 
amused  smile,  but  with  words  of  commendation  for 


the  safety-pin  plan.  "I  am  glad  to  see,"  he  said, 
"  that  you  are,  after  all,  an  unusually  prudent  and  care- 
ful lad,  for  I  feared  you  might  be  one  of  the  heedless 
tribe,  and  might  thereby  get  into  trouble.  May  I  in- 
quire if  you  are  going  to  stop  in  Victoria  ?" 

"  Only  until  the  Alaska  steamer  comes  along,"  an- 
swered Phil.  "  I  am  on  my  way  to  Sitka,  where  I  am 
to  join  my  father." 

"Indeed!"  exclaimed  the  stranger.  "Then  we  shall 
see  a  great  deal  of  each  other,  for  I,  too,  am  on  my 
way  to  Sitka.  In  fact,  that  is  my  home.  If  you  will 
allow  me,  I  will  hand  you  my  card." 

On  the  card  which  Phil  thus  received  and  then 
thrust  into  a  pocket  of  his  own  card-case  was  engraved 
simply  "  Mr,  Arthur  Ames,"  and  of  course  the  lad  had 
no  means  of  knowing  that  his  new  acquaintance  was 
one  of  the  most  eminent  and  best-known  men  in  the 
whole  Northwest.  As  he  handed  out  his  own  card  in 
return,  Mr.  Ames  said:  "I  wondered  if  I  should  not 
know  your  father,  and  now  I  see  that  I  do.  That  is, 
if  he  is  Mr.  John  Ryder,  the  mining  expert." 

"  Yes,  sir,  that  is  his  name,"  replied  Phil,  delighted 
at  this  recognition. 

"  Then  I  am  doubly  glad  to  make  your  acquaintance, 
Mr.  Ryder,  and  am  obliged  to  the  fortunate  incident 
of  the  pocket-book  that  led  to  it." 

Phil  was  greatly  pleased  with  this  new  friend,  who 
was  able  to  point  out  everything  of  interest,  and  was 
possessed  of  such  stores  of  information  concerning 
Alaska,  that  the  lad  looked  forward  with  pleasing  an- 
ticipations to  travelling  in  his  company. 

It  was  long  after  dark  before  the  electric  lights  of 
Victoria  were  sighted,  and  Phil  expressed  disappoint- 
ment that  he  could  see  nothing  of  the  city. 

"You  will  have  plenty  of  time  to-morrow,"  sug- 
gested Mr.  Ames,  "  for  our  steamer  is  not  due  to  ar- 


FIVE  BULL'S-EYES  IN  six  SHOTS  33 

rive  here  from  Port  Townsend  until  about  this  time 
to-morrow  evening,  and  she  will  remain  here  an  hour 
or  so  after  getting  in.  So  you  will  have,  an  opportu- 
nity to  visit  Beacon  Hill  Park,  Dunsmuir  Castle,  the 
museum,  and  go  out  to  'Squimault  as  well.  I  wish  I 
might  act  as  your  guide  to  the  city,  but  I  cannot,  and 
shall  not  even  see  you  at  your  hotel,  as  I  must  stay  at 
the  house  of  a  friend,  with  whom  I  have  an  amount  of 
important  business  to  transact  that  will  occupy  every 
moment  until  the  steamer  leaves.  After  that  we  shall 
see  a  great  deal  of  each  other,  I  trust." 

"Indeed  I  hope  we  shall,  sir,"  replied  Phil,  heartily, 
as  he  mentally  contrasted  this  new  travelling  acquaint- 
ance with  the  one  made  in  Montreal. 

"  By-the-way,"  continued  Mr.  Ames,  "  if  you  have  a 
trunk,  and  care  to  intrust  your  check  to  me,  I  will  have 
it  put  aboard  the  Alaska  steamer  with  mine,  and  will 
guarantee  its  safe  delivery  in  Sitka.  By  that  means 
you  will  be  saved  a  tedious  trip- down  to  the  outer 
wharf  to-morrow,  and  will  gain  at  least  two  hours 
of  extra  time  for  sight-seeing." 

The  stranger  had  already  inspired  our  hero  with 
such  perfect  confidence  that  he  handed  him  his  trunk 
check  without  the  slightest  hesitation,  at  the  same  time 
expressing  his  gratitude  for  the  kindness  thus  shown 
him. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  Premier  was  made  fast  to 
her  wharf  at  the  inner  end  of  a  tiny  but  perfectly  pro- 
tected harbor,  at  the  head  of  which  stands  the  capital 
of  British  Columbia.  Here  the  newly  made  acquaint- 
ances parted,  with  promises  of  again  meeting  on  the 
following  evening.  Mr.  Ames  was  driven  away  to  the 
house  of  his  friend,  while  Phil  took  a  carriage  for  the 
Driard,  the  hotel  at  which  his  father  had  instructed 
him  to  stop  so  long  as  he  remained  in  Victoria.  Here 
he  found  a  letter  from  Sitka,  that  had  been  brought 


34  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

down  by  the  last  steamer.  It  was  such  a  loving  epis- 
tle, and  was  so  filled  with  the  joyful  anticipations  of  a 
speedy  meeting,  that  Phil  was  moved  to  sit  down  and 
answer  it  at  once,  regardless  of  the  fact  that  his  reply 
could  only  reach  its  destination  by  the  same  steamer 
on  which  he  expected  to  travel. 

Having  thus  got  himself  into  the  mood  for  writing, 
Phil  also  indited  a  long  letter,  descriptive  of  his  journey 
thus  far,  to  his  aunt  Ruth.  In  this  he  made  the  trium- 
phant assertion  that  his  pocket-book  was  still  securely 
fastened  in  its  proper  place  by  the  safety-pins  to  whose 
sturdy  clasp  she  had  intrusted  it,  and  that  up  to  date 
he  had  not  lost  a  single  thing.  In  making  this  as- 
sertion the  boastful  lad  entirely  forgot  the  fur-seal's 
tooth,  though  he  was  soon  to  have  ample  cause  to  re- 
member it. 

Both  these  letters  being  mailed  in  the  hotel  box  be- 
fore he  went  to  bed,  Phil  slept  the  sleep  of  him  who 
has  a  clear  conscience,  and  awoke  the  next  morning  as 
light-hearted  and  happy  a  lad  as  could  be  found  in  all 
British  Columbia.  After  breakfast  he  took  a  stroll 
down  Government  Street  and  into  the  Chinese  quarter, 
with  the  queer  sights  of  which  he  was  intensely  amused 
and  interested. 

On  his  way  back  he  stopped  for  a  few  minutes  in  a 
rifle  gallery  that  presented  an  open  front  to  the  street. 
Here  he  was  tempted  by  the  bad  marksmanship  dis- 
played by  a  group  of  sailors  to  show  them  a  bit  of 
Yankee  shooting,  and  was  lucky  enough  to  make  five 
bull's-eyes  in  succession  out  of  six  shots.  This  per- 
formance was  greeted  by  a  round  of  hearty  cheers 
from  the  sailors,  and  these  were  repeated  when  Phil 
distributed  among  them  the  prize  of  cigars  by  which 
his  skill  was  rewarded. 

In  the  afternoon  he  rode  by  electric  car  out  to  Esqui- 
mault,  or  '/Sigmmault,  as  the  splendidly  fortified  harbor 


35 

and  British  naval  station  of  the  Pacific  coast  is  called. 
Here  he  went  on  board  the  Royal  Arthur,  one  of  the 
finest  cruisers  in  her  Majesty's  navy,  and  was  shown 
all  over  the  ship  by  a  marine  especially  detailed  for 
that  purpose.  Then  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  a 
middy,  who  invited  him  to  dine  with  the  steerage 
mess,  and  he  had  altogether  such  a  fine  time  that  the 
sun  set  long  before  he  thought  it  ought  to,  and  it  was 
dark  before  he  finally  returned  to  his  hotel. 

Learning,  by  inquiry,  that  tl^e  Alaskan  steamer  was 
in,  and  that  he  had  barely  time  to  catch  her,  he  or- 
dered a  cab  to  be  in  readiness,  rushed  up-stairs  for  his 
things,  and  then  back  again  to  the  office,  where  it  only 
remained  for  him  to  pay  his  bill  and  be  off. 


CHAPTER  VI 


As  Phil  stood  in  front  of  the  hotel  desk  striving  to 
unclasp  the  bewildering  safety-pins  that  held  his  pock- 
et-book so  firmly  a  heavy  hand  was  laid  on  his  shoul- 
der, and  a  stern  voice  asked  if  he  was  Philip  Ryder. 

"Yes,  that  is  my  name,"  replied  Phil,  looking  around 
inquiringly. 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  owner  of  the  voice ;  "  then  I 
shall  have  to  ask  you  to  come  with  me." 

"  I  haven't  time,"  replied  the  lad,  "  and,  besides,  I 
wouldn't  go  anywhere  in  a  strange  city  at  this  hour  of 
night  with  a  person  whom  I  do  not  know." 

"I  guess  you'll  come," retorted  the  man, with  a  grim 
smile,  "  when  I  inform  you  that  I  am  an  officer  with  a 
warrant  for  your  arrest,  and  that  you  are  wanted  at  the 
central  police  station." 

"  Nonsense  !"  cried  Phil,  stoutly ;  "  you've  made 
some  mistake  and  got  hold  of  the  wrong  party.  I 
haven't  done  anything  to  be  arrested  for.  Pm  an 
American  citizen  on  my  way  to  Alaska,  and  I've  only 
barely  time  to  catch  the  steamer  now.  So  I  must  re- 
quest you  not  to  detain  me  any  longer  with  this  fool- 
ishness, or  you  may  have  cause  to  regret  having  done 
so." 

"  I'll  risk  it,"  was  the  self-contained  reply,  "  and  I 
doubt  very  much  if  you  will  start  for  Alaska  to-night, 
or  for  some  nights  to  come.  You  know  me,"  he  added, 
turning  to  the  hotel  clerk,  who  was  regarding  this 
scene  as  coolly  as  though  it  were  nothing  unusual  to 


PHIL'S    SAD    PREDICAMENT  37 

him,  and  as  though  the  heart  of  the  lad  who  a  minute 
before  had  been  so  buoyant  with  hope  and  happiness 
were  not  near  to  breaking  with  an  undefined  agony  of 
apprehension. 

"  Yes,  I  know  you,"  answered  the  clerk,  "  and  what- 
ever you  do  is  all  right.  You'd  better  go  with  him 
quietly,"  he  added,  turning  to  Phil,  "  for  it  won't  do 
you  any  good  to  make  a  kick." 

"  But  what  am  I  arrested  for?"  cried  Phil,  with  one 
more  despairing  effort  to  solve  this  horrible  mystery. 
"  Of  what  crime  am  I  accused,  and  who  is  my  ac- 
cuser ?" 

"  It  is  not  my  business  to  say,"  replied  the  officer, 
"but  under  the  circumstances  I  don't  mind  telling 
you  that  the  charge  is  an  attempt  at  felonious  assault, 
and  that  the  complainant's  name  is  Goldollar." 

"  Oh  !"  gasped  Phil,  as  this  light  was  thrown  upon 
the  situation.  And  then,  eagerly,  "  But  I  can  explain 
all  that  in  a  minute." 

"  Not  here,"  said  the  officer  ;  "  this  is  neither  the 
time  nor  the  place.  You  must  come  with  me,  and  at 
once  too,"  he  added,  sternly,  as  he  glanced  at  the  little 
group  of  curious  spectators  gathering  in  the  hotel  of- 
fice. "  Now  don't  try  to  resist  or  make  a  scene,  for  it 
won't  do  the  slightest  good,  and  will  only  get  you  into 
further  trouble." 

So  Phil  Ryder  went  out  into  the  night  a  friendless 
prisoner  in  a  strange  city,  leaving  his  travelling-bag, 
rifle,  and  overcoat  behind  him,  the  clerk  remarking 
significantly  that  he  would  take  good  care  of  them 
until  they  should  be  called  for. 

No  word  was  spoken  between  the  officer  and  his 
prisoner  as  they  passed  through  the  brilliantly  lighted 
streets  until  they  finally  reached  the  police  station,  and 
the  latter  stood  before  the  sergeant's  desk,  behind 
which  that  functionary  was  prepared,  pen  in  hand,  to 


38  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

enter  a  record  of  this  case  in  his  blotter.  Then  a  tor- 
rent of  words  sprang  to  Phil's  lips.  He  told  his  story 
with  such  evident  honesty  and  pleading  anguish  of  soul 
that  even  the  grizzled  sergeant,  accustomed  as  he  was 
to  scenes  of  this  kind,  was  moved  by  it.  "  It  does  seem 
hard,"  he  said,  when  Phil  paused,  more  for  want  of 
breath  than  anything  else, "  that  a  young  gent  like  you 
should  be  compelled  to  pass  a  night  in  the  cooler.  If 
you  had  any  one  to  go  on  your  bail  now,  we  might 
get  the  justice  to  give  you  a  private  examination,  late 
as  it  is,  and  perhaps  he'd  accept  a  bond  for  the  night." 

"  But  I  haven't.  I  don't  know  a  soul  in  the  city," 
answered  Phil,  despondently.  "  How  much  do  you 
think  the  bail  would  be  ?"  he  asked,  with  a  sudden  in- 
spiration. 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know.  Maybe  not  more  than  a  hun- 
dred or  so." 

"  I  have  that  much  right  here  with  me  !"  cried  Phil, 
eagerly,  "  and  I'd  gladly  give  every  cent  of  it  rather 
than  pass  a  night  in  a  cell.  That  would  be  too  awful, 
and  it  doesn't  seem  as  though  I  could  bear  it." 

"  Let  us  see  your  money,"  said  the  sergeant,  with  a 
caution  bred  of  long  experience. 

With  eager  but  trembling  fingers  Phil  fumbled  at 
the  hateful  safety-pins  that  seemed  determined  never 
to  relax  their  hold  of  his  pocket-book.  At  length  he 
drew  it  forth,  and  opened  it  with  an  air  of  anxious  tri- 
umph. At  least  one  of  his  assertions  was  about  to  be 
proved  true. 

Suddenly  his  face  turned  to  a  deathly  pallor.  The 
empty  wallet,  in  which  no  bill  remained,  dropped  from 
his  nerveless  grasp,  and  he  clutched  wildly  at  the  rail 
of  the  sergeant's  desk  for  support. 

"  I  have  been  robbed  !"  he  gasped.  "  Robbed  of 
every  cent  I  had  in  the  world.  What  shall  I  do  ? 
What  shall  I  do  ?" 


PHIL'S    SAD   PREDICAMENT  39 

The  sergeant  and  officer  exchanged  significant 
glances,  and  for  a  few  minutes  only  the  ticking  of  a 
big  clock  and  the  boy's  panting  breathing  that  closely 
resembled  sobbing  broke  the  painful  stillness. 

"You  certainly  seem  to  be  playing  to  hard  luck, 
young  fellow,"  remarked  the  sergeant  at  length,  "  and  I 
don't  mind  saying  that  I'm  sorry  for  yon.  You  appear 
to  be  an  honest,  well-meaning  sort  of  a  chap,  too.  Now, 
I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do.  Though  appearances  are  often 
deceitful  and  I've  been  misled  by  them  a  many  times, 
I'm  going  to  trust  'em  once  more.  So,  if  you'll  give 
me  your  word  not  to  make  any  disturbance,  nor  the 
slightest  effort  to  escape,  I'll  let  you  occupy  my  room, 
where  you'll  find  a  bed  that  is  fairly  comfortable.  You 
can  spend  the  night  there,  and  it  will  be  better  than 
being  locked  up  in  a  cell,  anyway.  Maybe  in  the 
morning  something  will  turn  up  that  will  straighten 
matters  out  for  you." 

Phil's  gratitude  for  this  favor  was  expressed  more 
by  looks  than  by  words,  though  he  did  manage  to  give 
the  required  promise. 

Then  he  was  shown  into  a  small  bare  room,  where, 
flinging  himself  face  downward  on  a  little  iron  bed- 
stead that  stood  in  one  corner,  he  lay  for  a  long  time 
motionless  and  apparently  unconscious.  At  length  he 
began  once  more  to  think,  but  his  thoughts  were  of  the 
most  gloomy  and  despairing  nature.  Was  ever  a  fel- 
low in  such  a  scrape?  What  should  he  do?  Was  there 
any  way  in  which  he  could  get  out  of  it  ?  He  could 
not  communicate  with  his  father,  for  the  steamer  must 
already  have  left.  He  had  no  friends  in  Victoria.  He 
had  no  money.  No  money!  For  the  first  time  in  his 
life  Phil  realized  the  full  horror  of  being  absolutely 
penniless.  He  had  not  even  money  to  buy  breakfast 
with  in  case  he  should  be  set  free  on  the  following  day. 
Perhaps  a  prison  would  prove  his  only  refuge  after  all. 


40  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

Where  could  that  money  have  gone  to,  though  ? 
Some  one  must  have  taken  it  ;  but  who,  and  when  ? 
It  wouldn't  have  been  Mr.  Ames,  of  course;  nor  the 
porter  of  the  sleeping-car.  No  ;  his  very  face  was  a 
guarantee  of  honesty.  Could  it  have  been  Simon  Gol- 
dollar?  It  must  have  been;  he  was  just  the  mean,  low- 
down  fellow  who  would  do  such  a  thing  ;  still,  what 
chance  had  he  had  ?  Phil  couldn't  remember  that  he 
had  had  any.  Still,  the  money  must  have  been  taken 
by  some  one,  and  while  the  pocket-book  was  in  some 
other  place  than  the  one  provided  for  it  by  his  aunt 
Ruth,  too.  Oh,  why  had  he  forgotten  her  warnings 
and  neglected  her  advice  !  Dear  Aunt  Ruth  !  How 
much  better  she  knew  him  than  he  knew  himself. 
Well,  this  was  a  lesson  that  should  last  him  his  life 
time.  Never  again  would  he  get  into  such  a  scrape 
through  carelessness.  Never ! 

At  length  the  unhappy  boy  fell  asleep,  and  when  he 
awoke  it  was  daylight.  An  officer  brought  him  a  bowl 
of  strong  black  coffee  and  a  plain  but  plentiful  break- 
fast of  porridge.  Phil  drank  the  coffee,  but  could  not 
eat.  Then  he  waited,  pale  with  anxiety,  for  the  un- 
known fate  in  store  for  him.  After  a  while  he  was 
summoned  outside  and  conducted  to  a  court -room. 
There  he  was  placed  in  the  prisoners'  dock,  together 
with  the  previous  night's  occupants  of  the  station- 
house  cells,  men  and  women.  He  shrank  as  far  as 
possible  from  contact  with  them,  and  they  jeered  at 
him.  His  case  was  one  of  the  first  called,  but  as  no 
one  appeared  against  him  he  was  ordered  to  step  aside 
and  wait  awhile  longer. 

Finally,  last  of  all,  Phil's  turn  came  again. 

"  What  is  the  charge  against  this  prisoner  ?"  de- 
manded the  judge. 

"  It  is  a  case  of  assault,  your  Honor,"  answered  the 
officer  who  had  made  the  arrest. 


IS   IT   PHILIP   RYDER   OR  HIS   GHOST1/ 


PHIL'S    SAD    PEEDICAMENT  41 

"  Let  me  look  at  the  warrant.  H'm,  yes.  Well,  is 
the  complainant  Goldollar  here  in  person,  or  represent- 
ed by  counsel  ?" 

To  this  no  one  made  reply,  but  another  officer  whis- 
pered something  to  the  judge. 

"  H'm  !  Left  the  city,  has  he,  without  making  ar- 
rangements to  press  the  charge  ?  Very  well,  then,  the 
case  is  dismissed.  You  may  go,  young  man,  but  I  warn 
you  that  you  have  had  a  narrow  escape,  a  very  narrow 
escape,  and  you  had  better  never  let  me  see  you  here 
again." 

A  minute  later  poor  bewildered  Phil  found  himself 
out  in  the  sunlight,  once  more  free  to  go  where  he 
pleased  and  do  what  he  liked.  For  a  few  blocks  he 
walked  mechanically,  without  taking  note  of  where  he 
was  going.  Then,  with  a  forlorn  hope  that  the  steam- 
er might  still  be  waiting,  he  directed  his  steps  towards 
the  outer  wharf.  The  walk  was  a  long  one,  and  at  its  end 
his  worst  fears  were  confirmed.  "  The  Alaskan  steamer 
had  indeed  come  in,  and  gone  out  again  during  the 
night.  There  would  not  be  another  for  at  least  ten  days. 
His  trunk  had  gone,  too,  as  he  discovered  by  finding  a 
porter  who  distinctly  remembered  seeing  one  marked 
"  Philip  Ryder,  Sitka,  Alaska,"  put  aboard  the  ship. 
Mr.  Ames — Judge  Ames,  they  called  him — had  also 
departed  for  his  northern  home,  as  several  persons 
could  testify. 

Now  not  a  shred  of  hope  was  left.  What  would  Mr. 
Ryder  think,  and  what  would  he  do  when  the  steamer 
arrived  in  Sitka  without  the  son  for  whom  he  was  so 
anxiously  watching?  He  was  certain  to  meet  Judge 
Ames  and  to  see  the  trunk.  How  terrible  would  be 
his  anxiety  !  Would  he  come  to  Victoria  by  return 
steamer  in  search  of  his  boy,  or  would  he  wait  for 
news  of  him  by  the  next  boat  ?  In  the  former  case 
he  could  not  possibly  get  here  in  less  than  two  weeks, 


42  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

and  perhaps  not  so  soon.  At  any  rate  Phil  was  thrown 
upon  his  own  resources  for  many  days  to  come,  and 
during  that  time  how  should  he  obtain  food  and  lodg- 
ing ? 

While  vaguely  trying  to  form  some  plan,  he  walked 
slowly  back  into  the  city,  blind  to  the  beauty  of  the 
day,  deaf  to  the  singing  of  birds,  and  careless  of  the 
scent  of  myriads  of  flowers  which  form  so  beautiful 
and  striking  a  feature  of  this  far  western  city.  Here 
was  the  situation  with  which  this  story  opens  and  to 
which  we  have  been  so  long  in  coming. 

Hardly  noticing  the  direction  of  his  footsteps,  Phil 
reached  Government  Street,  and  walked  slowly  down 
that  busy  thoroughfare.  Suddenly  there  came  a  quick 
footfall  behind  him,  a  hand  was  clapped  on  his  shoul- 
der, and  a  hearty  friendly  voice  exclaimed, "  Is  it  Phil- 
ip Ryder  or  his  ghost  ?  Why,  old  fellow !  what  on 
earth  are  you  doing  here  ?" 

The  poor  lad's  heart  gave  a  great  throb  of  gratitude 
as  he  turned  and  found  himself  face  to  face  with  Serge 
Belcofsky. 


CHAPTER  VII 
THE    VALUE    OF   A   TRUE    FKIEND 

THE  meeting  of  Phil  Ryder  and  Serge  Belcofsky, 
who  had  parted  months  before  in  far-away  New  Lon- 
don, and  who  now  so  unexpectedly  ran  across  each 
other  in  the  busiest  street  of  the  westernmost  city  of 
the  continent,  was  one  of  the  happiest  that  ever  took 
place  in  Victoria.  Phil  was  so  overcome  by  it  that  for 
a  moment  his  voice  failed  him,  and  he  could  only  hold 
his  friend's  hand  in  both  of  his,  and  gaze  at  him  as 
though  fearful  that  he  might  vanish  as  suddenly  as  he 
had  appeared. 

"  Serge,  old  man,"  he  said  at  length,  "  you  have  come 
to  me  like  an  angel  from  heaven,  for  never  in  my  life 
have  I  needed  a  friend  as  at  this  very  minute.  I  never 
half  appreciated  you  before,  but  you  may  be  certain 
that  I  do  now.  Oh,  my  dear  fellow  !  if  you  could  only 
know  one  part  of  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you  !" 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter  ?"  inquired  Serge,  anx- 
iously. "  Are  you  in  trouble  ?  Is  there  anything  I 
can  do  to  help  you  ?  .  How  do  you  happen  to  be  here 
of  all  places  ?  The  Seamew  got  in  two  days  ago  ;  but 
I  didn't  find  a  single  letter  from  New  London,  and  I 
haven't  heard  a  word  of  news  from  there  since  we 
started  for  the  coast." 

"  Am  I  in  trouble  !"  exclaimed  Phil.  "  Well,  I  should 
say  I  am.  I  am  in  one  of  the  very  worst  scrapes  that 
ever  a  fellow  got  into.  Can  you  help  me  ?  I  rather 
think  you  can.  I  hope  so,  at  any  rate.  You  have 
helped  me  already  more  than  I  can  tell.  The  mere 


44 

sight  of  your  face,  the  sound  of  your  voice,  and  the 
clasp  of  your  hand  have  banished  half  my  troubles, 
and  given  me  new  courage  to  face  the  rest.  Why,  old 
man,  a  friend  was  what  I  needed  more  than  anything 
in  the  world,  and  now  that  I  have  found  one,  every- 
thing seems  possible." 

"You  in  trouble  !"  cried  Serge,  in  amazement.  It 
was  hard  to  realize  that  this  young  hero  of  his  admira- 
tion, the  one  who  above  all  others  had  seemed  so  strong 
and  self-reliant  and  free  from  care  of  any  kind,  could 
be  in  a  position  in  which  his  humble  aid  could  be  of 
value. 

"  Indeed  I  am,"  replied  Phil  ;  "  and  to  begin  with  I 
haven't  a  cent  in  the  world,  nor  have  I  eaten  a  mouth- 
ful of  food  to-day.  So  if  you  have  any  money  in  your 
pockets,  you  will  at  once  invite  me  to  breakfast.  Af- 
ter that  I  will  tell  you  the  whole  story." 

"You  poor  old  chap  !"  exclaimed  Serge,  to  whom 
hunger  was  of  all  things  the  most  unpleasant.  "Of 
course  I've  got  money" — he  had  just  one  dollar,  which 
represented  his  entire  stock  of  wealth  —  "and  the 
'Poodle  Dog 'is  just  around  the  corner." 

In  another  minute  the  lads  were  seated  at  a  table  in 
the  ,best  restaurant  of  Victoria,  and  Phil  was  giving 
the  waiter  a  breakfast  order  that  confirmed  that  in- 
dividual in  his  previously  formed  opinion  that  Ameri- 
cans were  not  only  the  wealthiest  people  in  the  world, 
but  were  possessed  of  the  most  extraordinary  appetites. 

Although  Serge,  whose  own  breakfast  had  been  eaten 
hours  before,  would  willingly  have  shared  another  with 
his  friend,  a  prudent  regard  for  his  finances  compelled 
him  to  resist  the  temptation,  and  declare  that  he  was 
not  the  least  bit  hungry.  So  he  merely  sat  and  watched 
with  real  pleasure  Phil's  demolition  of  the  very  hearti- 
est and  most  thoroughly  enjoyable  meal  of  his  life. 
As  he  ate,  his  courage  and  natural  buoyancy  of  spirits 


THE    VALUE    OF    A    TETJE    FKIEND  45 

returned  to  him  so  fully,  that  when  at  length  he  pushed 
away  his  plate,  declaring  himself  unable  to  eat  another 
mouthful,  he  was  again  the  self  -  reliant,  independent, 
happy-go-lucky  Phil  Ryder  whom  Serge  had  known 
and  admired  in  New  London. 

The  bill  for  that  breakfast  amounted  to  exactly  one 
dollar,  and  as  Serge  paid  it,  Phil  wondered  why  he  did 
not  also  tip  the  waiter,  who  had  been  unusually  atten- 
tive. He  was  too  polite  to  mention  the  matter,  and 
concluded  that  his  friend's  oversight  must  be  the  result 
of  his  early  training. 

Serge  knew  well  enough  what  was  expected  of  him, 
however,  and  felt  uncomfortable  until  the  restaurant 
was  left  behind  and  he  was  beyond  reach  of  the  wait- 
er's reproachful  glance.  "  Now,"  said  he,  as  they  gained 
the  street,  "  let's  have  your  story.  You  haven't  told 
me  one  word  of  yourself  and  your  troubles  yet." 

"Troubles?"  repeated  Phil,  inquiringly,  as  though 
such  things  and  he  were  but  the"  most  distant  of  ac- 
quaintances. "  Yes,  of  course,  I  have  had  some  trou- 
bles ;  but  they  don't  bother  me  now  half  so  much  as 
they  did.  I'll  tell  you  all  about  them,  though  ;  but 
this  is  a  poor  place  for  talking.  If  you  don't  mind 
we'll  go  up  to  my  room.  It  is  close  at  hand,  and  we 
can  be  there  in  a  minute.  Then  we  can  relate  our 
several  adventures,  and  discuss  plans  without  fear  of 
interruption." 

Why  Phil  had  not  returned  to  his  hotel  for  break- 
fast the  very  first  thing  after  being  set  at  liberty  he 
could  not  have  explained  ;  but  hungry,  friendless,  and 
penniless  as  he  was  that  morning,  he  could  no  more 
have  entered  the  Driard  dining-room  than  he  could 
have  begged  for  a  meal  at  a  private  house.  Now,  how- 
ever, the  situation  seemed  to  him  so  entirely  different 
that  he  walked  into  the  hotel  office  as  coolly  as  a  young 
millionaire,  and  with  quite  the  air  of  one  demanded  the 


46  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

key  of  his  room,  ordered  his  bag  sent  up  to  it,  and  led 
the  way  to  the  elevator. 

The  clerk  on  duty,  who  happened  to  be  the  same 
who  had  witnessed  his  unpleasant  encounter  with  an 
officer  the  evening  before,  regarded  the  young  fellow 
with  a  mild  surprise,  but  made  no  comment.  He  con- 
cluded that  there  must  have  been  some  mistake  after 
all,  but  was  too  well  trained  in  the  hotel  business  to 
ask  unpleasant  questions  of  a  guest.  He  did  eye  Serge 
a  little  curiously,  for  though  the  lad  had  on  his  best 
suit  it  was  unmistakably  the  garb  of  a  sailor. 

As  for  the  young  Russo-American,  he  followed  his 
friend  into  this  swell  hotel,  listened  to  the  orders  that 
he  issued,  and  which  were  so  promptly  obeyed,  and 
finally  accompanied  him  to  his  room  with  so  comical 
an  expression  of  bewilderment  on  his  face  that  Phil 
noticed,  and  laughed  at  it. 

"You  are  evidently  thinking  that  my  plea  of  pov- 
erty and  these  surroundings  do  not  exactly  match 
each  other,"  he  said. 

"  Well,  yes,  I  must  confess — " 

"That  I  appear  very  much  like  an  impostor.  But 
really  I  am  not  one,  old  man.  I  was  in  such  a  des- 
perate fix  when  you  turned  up,  like  a  blessed  angel  to 
help  me  out  of  it,  that  in  an  hour  more,  if  left  to  my 
own  devices,  I  believe  I  should  have  jumped  overboard." 

"  You  would  have  done  nothing  of  the  kind,"  cried 
Serge,  indignantly.  "  You  are  no  such  coward  as  that, 
and  I  know  it." 

"  Well,  perhaps  not,"  replied  Phil.  "  But  it  seems 
to  me  that  hunger  with  no  prospect  of  its  relief  can 
make  cowards  of  the  bravest  fellows.  And  I  was 
hungry,  awfully  hungry." 

"I  can  well  believe  that,"  laughed  Serge,  "after 
seeing  you  eat.  But  tell  me,  whv  do  you  stay  in  this 
hotel  ?" 


THE    VALUE    OF    A    TRUE    FRIEND  47 

"Because  I  have  no  other  place  to  go  to,  and  have 
no  money  with  which  to  settle  my  bill  in  case  I  wish 
to  leave." 

"  But  isn't  it  awfully  expensive  ?" 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know.  I  suppose  they  charge  three  or 
four  dollars  a  day  ;  but  if  it  were  only  fifty  cents  a 
day  I  couldn't  pay  it,  and  so  would  have  to  stay  on  all 
the  same.  I  think  it's  very  lucky  that  I  am  stranded 
in  so  comfortable  a  place.  But  let  me  tell  you  the 
whole  story  from  the  beginning,  and  then  you  will  see 
just  what  sort  of  a  position  I  am  in." 

So  Phil  related  his  recent  experiences,  and  when  he 
had  finished  Serge  only  asked, 

"What  has  become  of  the  fur -seal's  tooth  I  gave 
you,  and  which  you  used  to  wear  on  your  watch-chain?" 

"Lost  it." 

"  Then  that  accounts  for  everything." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?" 

"  I  mean  that,  according  to  what  the  old  chief  who 
gave  that  tooth  to  my  father  told  him,  it  is  a  most 
powerful  charm  for  good  or  evil.  He  said  that  who- 
ever gave  it  away  gave  good-luck  with  it.  Whoever 
received  it  as  a  gift  received  good-luck.  Whoever  lost 
it  lost  his  luck,  and  whoever  stole  it  stole  bad-luck  that 
would  follow  him  so  long  as  he  retained  it  in  his  pos- 
session. According  to  this  you  who  have  lost  it  are 
suffering  the  consequences." 

"  Nonsense  !"  cried  Phil.  "  I  hope  you  don't  believe 
in  any  such  foolish  superstition,  or  that  a  bit  of  carved 
ivory  can  possess  the  powers  you  claim  for  the  fur- 
seal's  tooth  ?" 

"  I  don't  claim  it,"  protested  Serge.  "  I  only  repeat 
what  the  Indian  said.  At  the  same  time,  almost  every 
one  in  Alaska,  or,  at  any  rate,  every  one  whom  I  know, 
believes  in  such  things,  and  can  tell  you  lots  of  stories 
about  them." 


48  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"Yes.  I've  no  doubt  they  can  tell  lots  of  stories, 
but  the  thing  is  to  prove  them.  Now,  I  don't  believe 
in  superstitions  of  any  kind,  and  am  very  sorry  for 
those  who  do.  As  for  my  present  bad-luck,  it  is  en- 
tirely owing  to  my  own  carelessness  and  hot-headed- 
ness,  but  for  which  I  should  be  comfortably  on  my 
way  to  Sitka  at  this  very  minute.  As  it  is,  here  I  am 
up  such  a  very  tall  stump  that,  as  far  as  I  can  see, 
there  isn't  the  slightest  chance  of  getting  down  from 
it  inside  of  several  weeks.  My  chance  of  visiting 
Alaska  is  knocked  higher  than  a  kite,  too,  for  the 
money  that  would  have  taken  me  there  will  now  have 
to  be  devoted  to  paying  my  hotel  bill  here." 


CHAPTER  VIII 
ONE    KESULT    OF    GOOD    SHOOTING 

"  WHY  not  go  with  me  ?"  suggested  Serge,  at  the 
end  of  his  meditation  on  Phil's  situation.  "  The  Sea- 
mew  sails  for  Alaska  this  very  evening." 

"For  what  part  of  Alaska — for  Sitka?"  demanded 
Phil,  eagerly. 

"  Not  exactly,"  admitted  Serge  ;  "  but  in  that  direc- 
tion. She  is  bound  on  a  fishing  cruise  to  the  cod  and 
halibut  banks  off  the  Shumagin  Islands;  but  there  are 
always  vessels  running  from  there  into  Sitka,  and  Cap- 
tain Duff  has  promised  to  set  me  on  board  the  very 
first  one  of  these  he  runs  across."' 

"  My !  but  that  is  a  scheme  !"  exclaimed  Phil,  who, 
having  no  conception  of  Alaskan  distances  nor  the 
slightest  idea  of  where  the  Shumagin  Islands  might 
be,  imagined  that,  once  in  those  waters,  it  would  be 
an  easy  matter  to  reach  Sitka.  In  fact,  to  him  Sitka 
meant  Alaska,  and  Alaska  was  the  same  as  Sitka,  for 
he  could  not  remember  ever  having  heard  the  one 
spoken  of  except  in  connection  with  the  other. 

"That  would  suit  me  to  a  T,"  he  continued,  "for  I 
have  hated  the  thought  of  giving  up  my  Alaska  trip, 
and  I  have  hated  worse  the  idea  of  spending  two  or 
three  weeks  in  this  place  with  nothing  to  do.  Do  you 
suppose  that  your  captain  would  make  the  same  ar- 
rangement with  me  that  he  has  with  you  ?  My  father 
would  be  glad  enough  to  pay  him  my  passage  -  money 
if  he  would  only  drop  me  at  Sitka." 

"  I  don't  believe  the  Seamew  is  allowed  to  take  pas- 

4 


50 

sengers,"  answered  Serge,  doubtfully.  "I  am  one  of 
her  crew,  you  know,  only  I  am  working  without  wages 
for  the  sake  of  getting  home." 

"No  wages !     Don't  you  get  anything  at  all?" 

"  Oh  yes  !  I  get  my  passage  and  food,  and  I  got  an 
outfit  of  clothing  to  start  with." 

"  Well,  I  should  be  glad  enough  to  get  a  passage  to 
Alaska  on  the  same  terms,  and  if  your  captain  will 
only  take  me,  I'll  ship  with  him  in  a  minute.  But  look 
here,  old  man,  if  you  don't  get  any  wages,  how  do  you 
happen  to  have  money  to  spend  on  breakfasts  at  ex- 
pensive restaurants  for  your  pauper  friends  ?" 

"  I  haven't,"  laughed  Serge. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  squandered  your 
last  cent  on  me  this  morning  ?" 

"  I  don't  mean  to  tell  you  anything  about  it." 

"Well,  if  that  doesn't  make  me  feel  meaner  than 
dirt !  If  I  had  known  you  were  spending  your  only 
dollar  for  my  breakfast  I  wouldn't  have  eaten  a  mouth- 
ful." 

"And  so  you  would  have  made  me  very  unhappy, 
instead  of  giving  me  one  of  the  greatest  pleasures  of 
my  life,"  returned  Serge,  reproachfully. 

"All  I  can  say,  then,  is  that  you  are  easily  pleased. 
And  that  was  the  reason  why  you  wouldn't  eat  any- 
thing, was  it  ?  Why,  you  must  be  almost  as  starved 
by  this  time  as  I  was  then,  for  even  I  am  hungry 
again.  Now,  you  just  come  down-stairs  and  take  lunch 
with  me  in  the  hotel  dining-room.  After  that  we  will 
visit  the  /Seamew,  and  offer  my  valuable  services  to 
your  Captain  Duff." 

Never  in  all  his  life  had  Serge  Belcofsky  eaten  so 
sumptuous  a  meal  as  that  set  before  him  by  the  young 
pauper,  who,  with  the  air  of  a  prince,  played  the  host 
on  this  memorable  occasion.  Knowing  the  pecuniary 
circumstances  of  his  entertainer  as  he  did,  Serge  could 


ONE    RESULT    OF    GOOD    SHOOTING  51 

not  but  admire,  while  he  marvelled  at,  the  nonchalant 
air  with  which  course  after  course  was  ordered,  while 
he  was  urged  to  partake  of  this  thing  and  that,  until 
the  resources  of  the  Driard's  larder  were  well-nigh  ex- 
hausted. 

After  thus  fortifying  themselves  for  their  anticipat- 
ed interview  with  Captain  Duff,  whom  Serge  had  not 
described  as  being  a  particularly  affable  man,  nor  one 
whom  it  was  a  joy  to  meet,  the  lads  strolled  down  to 
the  cove  in  which  the  saucy-looking  schooner  Seamew 
lay  at  anchor.  When  they  finally  got  on  board,  Serge 
left  Phil  on  deck,  while  he  ventured  alone  into  the 
cabin  to  make  an  application  on  his  behalf. 

For  the  space  of  a  minute  Phil  heard  through  the 
open  cabin  skylight  only  the  tones  of  an  ordinary  con- 
versation, the  words  of  which  were  undistinguishable. 
Then,  all  at  once,  came  a  thunderous  roar  of :  "  No,  I 
tell  ye  !  No !  I'll  have  no  more  landlubbers  aboard 
this  craft  at  any  price.  So  clear  out  and  let  me  hear 
no  more  of  it." 

The  next  instant  Serge,  cap  in  hand,  appeared  ab- 
ruptly at  the  opening  of  the  companion-way  almost  as 
though  he  had  been  fired  from  it.  He  was  closely  fol- 
lowed by  a  big  red-faced  man  with  a  stubby  beard, 
who,  the  moment  he  set  foot  on  deck,  gave  utterance 
to  a  snarl  like  that  of  a  wild  beast.  Suddenly,  as  his 
eye  lighted  on  Phil,  he  stood  for  a  moment  like  one 
petrified.  Then  in  a  tone  so  soft  and  bland  that  Phil 
instinctively  glanced  around  to  see  who  was  speaking, 
he  addressed  Serge  and  asked, 

"  Is  this  young  sport  the  friend  you  was  speaking  of 
what  'ud  like  to  ship  for  a  cruise  to  the  nor'ard  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  answered  Serge;  "this  is  my  friend  Phil 
Ryder,  who  is  so  anxious  to  get  to  Sitka  that  he  is 
willing  to  ship  for  a  voyage  to  the  Shumagins  without 
wages  if  you  will  furnish  him  with  an  outfit,  and  agree 


52  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

to  set  him  aboard  the  same  vessel  bound  for  Sitka  that 
you  do  me." 

"  Will  he  sign  to  them  terms  on  a  shipping-paper  ?" 

"  I  think  so,  sir.     Won't  you,  Phil  ?" 

"  Certainly.    I  will  sign  any  paper  that  is  required." 

Looking  this  new  candidate  over  from  head  to  foot, 
and  still  speaking  in  the  blandest  of  tones,  Captain 
Duff  propounded  the  following  questions: 

"  Be  you  a  sailor  ?" 

"  I  can  handle  a  small  boat." 

"  Humph!  Do  you  know  the  dog-star  from  the  cat- 
star?" 

«  No,  sir." 

"  Nuther  do  I.  Do  you  know  a  bull's-eye  when  you 
see  one  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"Didn't  ye  plunk  one  yesterday  five  times  out  of  six 
shots  ?" 

"  I  believe  I  did,  sir,"  replied  Phil,  greatly  surprised 
at  this  turn  in  his  examination. 

"  Could  ye  do  it  again  ?" 

"I  generally  make  six  bull's-eyes  in  six  shots  at  that 
distance  with  my  own  rifle,"  was  the  reply,  not  de- 
livered at  all  boastingly,  but  as  a  simple  statement  of 
facts. 

"  So  you've  got  a  rifle  of  your  own,  eh  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Ever  get  seasick?" 

"No,  sir." 

"  Can  ye  be  ready  to  start  in  an  hour's  time  ?" 

"I  shall  be  ready  as  soon  as  I  get  an  outfit,"  an- 
swered Phil. 

"Very  good;  let's  go  ashore  and  get  it  at  once. 
Hold  hard,  though !  There's  the  paper  to  be  signed 
first." 

So  Captain  Duff  re-entered  the  cabin,  where  with 


ONE  RESULT  OF  GOOD  SHOOTING          53 

labored  penmanship  he  added  an  article  to  one  of  the 
ship's  papers,  which  Phil  signed  without  reading  it. 
His  signature  was  witnessed  by  Jalap  Coombs,  mate 
of  the  Seamew,  and  by  Serge  Belcofsky. 

"You  understand  that  this  is  a  fishing  v'y'ge?"  de- 
manded Captain  Duff,  at  the  conclusion  of  this  cere- 
mony. 

"I  understand  very  little  about  it,  sir,"  responded 
Phil.  "  I  only  understand  that  for  me  it  will  end  at 
Sitka,  and  I  am  willing  to  undertake  whatever  may  be 
necessary  in  order  to  reach  that  place." 

"  Humph  !"  growled  Captain  Duff.  Then  in  a  voice 
that  sounded  like  the  roar  of  a  bull  he  bellowed  out: 
"  On  deck  there  !  Lively,  now,  and  have  a  boat  along- 
side !" 

So  promptly  was  he  obeyed  that  by  the  time  the  oc- 
cupants of  the  cabin  regained  the  deck  a  light  whale- 
boat,  sharp-pointed  at  both  ends,  and  containing  three 
oarsmen,  of  whom  Serge  was  one,  awaited  them. 

Motioning  Phil  to  enter  this  craft,  Captain  Duff 
ponderously  followed,  and  standing  in  the  stern,  with 
one  brawny  hand  grasping  a  long  steering  oar,  he 
ordered  the  crew  to  give  way. 

A  few  sturdy  strokes  shot  the  boat  across  to  the 
landing,  where  the  captain  ordered  two  of  the  men  to 
await  his  return,  and  gave  the  lads  to  understand  that 
they  were  to  follow  him. 

He  led  them  to  a  sailors'  slop-shop,  where  in  a  very 
few  minutes  he  had  provided  the  latest  addition  to  his 
crew  with  a  heavy  suit  of  duffle  cloth,  a  pea-jacket, 
two  flannel  shirts,  a  pair  of  rubber  hip-boots,  another 
pair  of  stout  cow-hide,  a  woollen  toque,  or  sailor's  night- 
cap, a  long  oil-skin  coat,  and  a  hat  of  similar  material. 

"  There!"  growled  Captain  Duff,  viewing  these  things 
as  they  lay  piled  on  the  counter.  "  I  call  that  an  out- 
fit such  as  mighty  few  shipmasters  would  pervide  for 


54 

a  landlubber.  But  when  I  undertakes  to  do  a  thing,  1 
does  it.  D'  ye  hear  ?" 

Both  lads  agreed  that  they  did  hear.  In  fact,  they 
would  have  been  very  deaf  indeed  not  to  have  heard. 
Phil  expressed  himself  as  gratified  for  so  complete  a 
supply  of  everything  that  seemed  needful. 

"  So  ye  should  be,  ye  young  vil — I  mean  so  ye  should 
be!"  roared  Captain  Duff.  "Now  give  us  a  bag,  ye 
swab,  and  make  out  your  thundering  bill,  for  I'm  in  a 
hurry.  D'  ye  hear?" 

This  last  was  addressed  to  the  shopman,  who  there- 
upon produced  a  heavy  canvas  bag  of  the  kind  known 
as  a  "sea-trunk,"  into  which  the  two  lads  stowed  all 
the  recent  purchases. 

When  the  bill  for  these  was  presented,  Captain  Duff 
growled  over  each  separate  item,  and  after  he  had 
paid  it,  he  said  to  Phil:  "There,  young  fellow,  I've  in- 
vested fifty  dollars  in  you,  and  you're  bound  to  work 
it  out  afore  your  account  is  all  squared.  D'  ye 
hear?" 

"  You  are  very  good,  I  am  sure,"  murmured  the  lad, 
not  knowing  what  else  to  say. 

"What!  Me  good!  Who  dares  say  I'm  not  good?" 
roared  the  captain,  glaring  about  him  with  a  ferocious 
expression. 

As  no  one  replied  to  this  outburst,  he  ordered  the 
lads  to  carry  the  recent  purchases  down  to  the  boat, 
and  get  back  to  the  schooner  with  all  speed. 

"  I  must  go  to  my  hotel  first  to  transact  some  busi- 
ness," suggested  Phil. 

"  Go  to  a  hotel  ?  What  business  have  you  with  a 
hotel  ?  I  thought  you  said  you'd  be  ready  as  soon  as 
ye  had  an  outfit  ?" 

"  I  have  some  things  there  which  I  desire  to  see  to," 
began  Phil. 

"  Yes,  I  know.    Rifles  and  things.    Well,  hurry  up; 


ONE  RESULT  OF  GOOD  SHOOTING          55 

and  mind  ye,  if  you're  not  back  inside  of  an  hour,  I'll 
have  ye  arrested  as  a  desarter." 

"  I  shall  evidently  get  pretty  well  used  to  being  ar- 
rested if  I  stay  in  this  town  long,"  thought  Phil,  as  he 
hurried  away. 

In  his  room  at  the  hotel  he  wrote  three  notes,  two  of 
which  were  to  his  father.  They  were  both  the  same, 
and  in  them  he  stated  that  he  was  about  to  start  for 
Sitka  in  the  fishing  schooner  Seamew,  and  hoped  to 
reach  there  before  his  father  received  this  letter.  In 
case  he  should  be  unexpectedly  delayed  for  a  few  days, 
his  father  need  feel  no  anxiety  on  his  account,  for  he 
would  surely  turn  up  sooner  or  later.  One  of  these  he 
put  in  his  pocket  to  mail  for  Sitka,  while,  with  a  fore- 
thought unusual  in  one  generally  so  careless,  the  other 
was  to  be  left  at  the  hotel  in  case  his  father  should 
come  to  Victoria  in  search  of  him. 

The  third  note  was  addressed  to  the  proprietor  of 
the  hotel.  In  it  Phil  regretted  his  inability  to  pay  his 
bill  for  two  days'  board  and  lodging,  but  stated  that  it 
would  be  settled  as  soon  as  he  could  rejoin  his  father, 
whom  he  expected  to  see  in  a  very  short  time.  In  the 
mean  time  he  left  a  rifle,  an  overcoat,  and  a  bag  worth 
many  times  its  amount  as  security.  This  note,  to- 
gether with  one  of  those  to  his  father,  he  left  on  the 
table.  Then  taking  a  few  small  articles  from  his  bag, 
he  left  the  hotel  and  hastened  to  the  landing-place. 
There  he  found  a  boat  awaiting  him.  A  few  minutes 
later  he  had  bidden  farewell  to  the  city  in  which  his  short 
stay  had  proved  so  fruitful  in  strange  experiences,  and 
again  stood  on  the  deck  of  the  craft  in  which  the  sec- 
ond portion  of  his  eventful  journey  was  to  be  under- 
taken. 


CHAPTER  IX 


CAPTAIN  DUFF  was  not  visible  when  Phil  reached  the 
Seamew  ;  but  the  mate  received  him,  and  in  answer  to 
his  inquiry  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  his  friend,  pointed 
to  the  forecastle.  There  our  lad  found  Serge,  from 
whom  he  was  desirous  of  obtaining  some  information 
concerning  the  schooner's  master,  in  whose  power  he 
had  so  deliberately  placed  himself.  Having  had  no 
experience  in  shipping  as  one  of  the  crew  of  a  vessel, 
Phil  did  not  realize  how  fully  he  had  done  this ;  but 
he  had  seen  enough  of  Captain  Duff's  peculiar  manner 
to  render  him  rather  nervous  now  that  the  irrevocable 
step  was  taken. 

Serge  could  only  say  that  while  the  subject  of  their 
conversation  was  almost  as  much  of  a  mystery  to  him 
as  to  Phil,  he  had  at  least  proved  himself  a  capital  sea- 
man. Also  that  while  his  frequent  outbursts  of  temper 
were  frightful  to  witness,  no  serious  consequences  had 
thus  far  resulted  from  them.  No  one  had,  however, 
ventured  to  thwart  his  will  in  the  slightest,  and  all 
hands  regarded  him  with  more  or  less  of  fear. 

While  the  two  lads  were  thus  talking  there  came  a 
sudden  call  for  all  hands  to  up  anchor  and  make  sail, 
whereupon  they  tumbled  up  on  deck  and  turned  to 
with  a  will,  Phil  working  with  the  rest  to  the  best  of 
his  limited  knowledge  concerning  what  was  to  be  done. 

Before  a  light  off-shore  breeze  the  trim  schooner 
slipped  out  of  the  cove,  and,  as  the  sun  was  sinking 
behind  the  snow-capped  Olympic  mountains,  gained 


57 

the  waters  of  the  Strait  of  Fuca,  through  which  she 
would  reach  the  open  sea. 

While  Phil  stood  gazing  at  the  fast  ^fading  land, 
feeling  a  little  homesick  and  lonely,  Jalap  Coombs 
informed  him  that  the  captain  wished  him  to  bring 
his  things  aft  into  the  cabin. 

As  the  lad  had  not  seen  his  recently  acquired  outfit 
since  coming  aboard,  he  had  nothing  to  carry,  and  so 
entered  the  cabin  with  empty  hands. 

"  Where  is  your  rifle  ?"  demanded  the  captain,  as 
soon  as  he  appeared. 

"  I  left  it  behind,  sir." 

"  What !"  roared  the  other,  springing  to  his  feet  with 
every  appearance  of  violent  rage.  "  Left  it  behind  ? 
Cheated  me  out  of  a  first-class  rifle  ?  Never  mind  ;  it 
shall  be  charged  to  your  account."  Then,  working 
himself  into  an  increase  of  passion,  he  bellowed  :  "  You 
young  villain  !  I've  a  mind  to  brain  you  for  this,"  and 
seizing  a  stool  from  the  floor,  he  lifted  it  threateningly, 
at  the  same  time  taking  a  step  forward. 

Phil's  first  impulse  was  to  fly  from  the  presence  of 
one  whom  he  had  every  reason  to  believe  a  mad- 
man. On  second  thoughts  he  turned,  and,  with  a  very 
pale  face  but  a  steady  voice,  said :  "  You  don't  dare 
do  it.  You  are  a  coward,  and  you  know  it  as  well  as 
I  do." 

For  the  first  time  in  all  his  sea-going  life  big,  red- 
faced,  bullying  Captain  Duff  was  bearded  in  his  own 
den,  and  that  by  a  mere  slip  of  a  boy,  as  he  regarded 
the  lad  now  so  boldly  confronting  him.  He  was  a  cow- 
ard at  heart,  and  he  knew  it.  His  very  air  of  bluster 
and  bravado,  assumed  so  long  ago  that  it  had  become 
a  second  nature,  was  worn  solely  for  the  purpose  of 
misleading  his  associates,  and  hiding  from  them  his 
true  character.  This  manner  was  so  well  borne  out  by 
his  size  and  his  ferocious  expression  that  until  this  time 


58  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

he  had  succeeded  in  inspiring  awe  merely  by  noise  and 
aspect.  Now  his  true  character  was  known,  the  fraud 
he  had  perpetrated  so  successfully  and  so  long  was  dis- 
covered, and  like  a  great  gorgeous  soap-bubble  his 
inflated  wind-bag  of  bravery  had  been  pricked  and 
dissipated. 

The  collapse  of  this  roaring  pretence  was  so  sudden 
and  complete  as  to  be  staggering.  For  a  moment  the 
man  stood  motionless,  with  the  stool  still  uplifted,  but 
with  every  vestige  of  color  fled  from  his  ordinarily 
crimson  face.  Then  the  stool  dropped  to  the  floor 
with  a  crash,  and  he  tottered  limply  backward  into 
the  huge  arm-chair  that  he  had  occupied  when  Phil 
entered  the  cabin.  His  eyes  rolled,  his  breath  came 
in  gasps,  and  a  hoarse  rattling  issued  from  his  throat. 

During  this  extraordinary  scene  Phil  stood  his 
ground,  outwardly  calm  and  resolute,  but  wondering 
whether  he  was  to  be  eaten  or  skinned  alive  for  his 
audacity.  At  length,  realizing  that  the  enemy  was 
powerless  for  the  time  being,  he  left  the  cabin,  and 
reported  to  the  mate  on  deck  that  he  believed  Captain 
Duff  was  having  a  fit,  and  needed  attention. 

Upon  this  Jalap  Coombs  cautiously  approached  the 
sky-light,  and  peered  down  into  the  cabin.  Then  he 
as  cautiously  tiptoed  back  to  where  Phil  was  standing. 
"I  ruther  guess  we'd  best  leave  him  alone  to  fight  it 
out,"  he  said.  "  He's  a  born  fighter,  Cap'n  Duff  is, 
an'  he's  had  'em  afore.  As  my  friend  old  Kite  Rober- 
son  uster  say  consarning  fits:  l  When  a  ordinary  sea- 
man takes  a  notion  to  indulge  in  'em,  roll  him  on  deck, 
douse  him  with  buckets  of  salt-water,  and  otherwise 
wrastle  'em  out  of  him,  fer  he  'ain't  no  business  with 
any  such  luxuries.  With  a  cap'n,  though,  it's  diffrunt. 
He's  a  priverleged  character,  and  when  he  feels  inclined 
fer  a  fit,  he  wants  to  enjoy  it,  and  have  it  out  without 
interference,  same  as  ef  it  war  a  glass  o'  grog.  So 


i 


YOU    DON'T   DARE   DO   IT.       YOU   ARE    A   COWARD '  " 


INTRODUCING    "  OLD   KITE    ROBERSON5'  59 

never  interrupt  a  cap'n's  fits  ef  you  want  to  have  peace 
and  quietness  aboard  ship.'  That's  what  old  Kite  uster 
say,  and  he  must  er  knowed,  'cause  he'd  had  more  mill- 
ions of  experience  than  most." 

"  Who  was  this  Mr.  Robinson  ?"  asked  Phil. 

"  Who  !  Kite— old  Kite  Roberson  ?  'Tain't  likely 
now  that  ye  never  heerd  of  him?  Why,  he  was  one 
of  the  best-known  men.  By  his  own  'count  he'd  been 
'round  the  world  more  times  than  there  is  parallels  of 
latitood,  and  some  of  his  charts  looked  like  spider-webs, 
they  war  kivered  so  thick  with  his  tracks.  Why,  he 
come  from  the  same  place  as  me,  old  Kite  did,  and 
sometimes  it  makes  me  feel  prouder  'n  a  mere  mortal 
man  orter  feel  to  think  that  him  and  me  was  fashioned 
outer  the  same  clay,  as  it  war,  and  brung  up  on  the 
same  air." 

"It  must  be  a  great  satisfaction,"  remarked  Phil, 
politely.  Then,  to  show  his  interest  in  the  subject,  he 
asked:  "But  where  is  your  native  place,  Mr.  Coombs  ? 
You  are  a  down-Easter,  are  you  not  ?" 

"Sartain  I  am,"  replied  the  mate.  "A  genuine 
down-Easter  is  the  one  thing  on  this  watery  earth  I  can 
surely  claim  to  be.  But  whether  I'm  a  Britisher  or  a 
Yankee  is  the  problem  I'm  wearing  my  life  out  trying 
to  solve." 

"  That  seems  queer,"  said  Phil,  reflectively. 

u  Queer  ain't  no  name  f er  it.  It's  simply  redickerlous. 
Ye  see,  when  they  settled  the  boundary  'twixt  Maine 
and  the  Provinces,  they  run  it  plumb  through  my  fa- 
ther's house,  and  as  nigh  as  I  can  figger  I  was  born 
straddle  of  the  line.  After  that  I  was  brung  up  fust 
on  one  side,  and  then  on  t'other  ;  so  that  ef  one  man 
says  I'm  a  Britisher  and  another  says  I'm  a  Yank,  they 
ain't  nuther  of  'em  lying,  nor  yet  they  ain't  telling  the 
truth.  Sometimes  I  feel  as  ef  I  war  a  British  subjeck, 
and  again  like  a  full-blown  American  citizen.  It  de- 


60 

pends  mostly  on  the  weather.  When  it's  damp  and 
foggy,  like  it  is  now,  I  ginerally  feels  like  a  subjeck. 
Old  Kite  Roberson  he  uster  say — " 

Just  then  came  the  note  of  a  siren  fog-horn  over  the 
waters  from  dead  ahead.  A  dense  mist  had  rolled  in 
from  the  sea,  obscuring  the  light  on  Race  Island,  the 
most  southerly  of  the  few  light-stations  maintained  on 
the  coast  of  British  Columbia.  All  the  time  that  he 
was  talking  with  Phil,  Jalap  Coombs  had  also  been 
keeping  a  sharp  lookout  for  this  light.  Now,  at  the 
first  note  of  its  siren,  he  sprang  up,  transformed  in  an 
instant  from  a  shambling,  garrulous  "  subjeck,"  as  he 
called  himself,  into  an  alert  and  thoroughly  capable 
Yankee  sailor. 

"  Ready  about !"  he  shouted,  in  clear,  crisp  tones. 
"  Hard  a-lee  !"  And  a  minute  later,  as  the  lively  craft 
spun  round  to  a  deafening  accompaniment  of  rattling 
blocks  and  slatting  canvas,  "  Draw  away  !"  With  this 
the  schooner  settled  comfortably  down  on  her  new 
course,  and  bending  gracefully  over  before  a  damp 
sea-breeze,  sped  swiftly  away  from  the  threatened 
dangers  of  Race  Island  rocks. 

About  this  time  Ebenezer,  the  black  cook,  announced 
that  supper  was  ready  in  the  cabin,  and  the  mate,  after 
a  long  careful  look  both  to  windward  and  leeward,  sug- 
gested to  Phil  that  they  might  as  well  go  below  and 
"stow  a  cargo  of  chuck." 

In  the  cabin,  which  was  fairly  roomy  and  well  venti- 
lated, stood  a  table  on  which  supper  was  spread,  a  small 
stove  for  heating  purposes  only,  the  captain's  big  arm- 
chair, several  stools,  and  a  short  bench.  On  two  sides 
were  single  tiers  of  comfortable-looking  bunks,  five  in 
all.  On  the  starboard  side  was  a  closed  door  that  evi- 
dently opened  into  a  small  state-room,  and  on  the  port 
side  was  a  narrow  passage  leading  to  the  galley,  an 
unusual  luxury  of  appointment  in  schooners  of  the  Sea- 


INTRODUCING   "  OLD    KITE    KOBERSON "  61 

mew's  class,  and  one  that  assured  the  safe  and  speedy 
transmission  of  food  from  the  stove  on  which  it  was 
cooked. 

Captain  Duff  was  nowhere  to  be  seen  when  Phil  and 
the  mate  entered  the  cabin,  and  in  answer  to  Phil's 
inquiring  glance,  the  latter  pointed  significantly  with 
his  thumb  towards  the  closed  state-room  door.  There 
were,  however,  two  other  occupants  of  the  cabin,  both 
young  men.  They  were  already  seated  at  the  table, 
and  eating  with  silence  and  despatch.  They  did  not 
speak  to  Phil  nor  he  to  them,  and  as  the  mate  also  ate 
in  silence  the  meal  was  uninterrupted  save  by  the  steady 
clatter  of  knives,  forks,  and  spoons  against  that  pecul- 
iarly thick  and  indestructible  form  of  china  known  as 
stone-ware. 

The  two  young  men  finished  first,  pushed  back  from 
the  table,  lighted  their  pipes,  and  left  the  cabin. 

"Who  are  they?"  asked  Phil,  after  they  had  disap- 
peared. 

"  Hunters,"  was  Mr.  Coombs's  laconic  answer. 

Then  he  too  pushed  back  from  the  table,  and  Phil 
hastened  to  ask  him  before  he  could  leave  the  cabin 
where  he  should  find  his  bag,  as  he  wished  to  get  a 
pea-jacket  from  it. 

The  mate  merely  pointed  to  an  end  berth  on  the  port 
side,  in  which,  sure  enough,  Phil  spied  a  new  canvas 
bag  that  he  now  recognized  as  his  own. 

"  Am  I  to  bunk  in  here  ?"  he  asked,  in  some  surprise. 

"  Sartain,"  replied  Mr.  Coombs,  and  then  he  too  van- 
ished up  the  companion-way. 


CHAPTER  X 
PHIL   DISCOVERS    WHAT    HE    IS 

"WELL,  this  is  a  queer  go !"  thought  Phil,  as  he  ex- 
tricated the  heavy  pea-jacket  from  his  "  sea-trunk,"  and 
put  it  on.  "  I  never  heard  of  a  green  hand  before  the 
mast  being  fed  and  lodged  in  the  cabin.  I  must  find 
Serge,  and  ask  him  about  it." 

The  night  seemed  intensely  dark  as  he  gained  the 
deck,  and  for  a  few  minutes  he  stood  still  to  accustom 
his  senses  to  it.  He  had  found  the  slide  drawn  over 
the  companion-way,  and,  as  on  emerging  he  shoved  it 
back,  he  was  gruffly  requested  by  the  helmsman  to 
"  shut  it,  quick  !"  Phil  was  enough  of  a  sailor  to  know 
that  this  was  so  the  glare  of  the  cabin  lamp  might  not 
blind  the  man  and  render  it  impossible  for  him  to  steer. 
So  he  immediately  pulled  the  slide  to,  and  then  stood 
leaning  against  it. 

He  could  feel  the  chill  dampness  of  the  mist  on  his 
cheek,  and  could  see  it  driving  by  in  the  red  and  green 
blurs  from  the  side-lights  in  the  forward  rigging. 
From  the  binnacle  near  at  hand  also  came  a  faint 
glow  of  reflected  light  that  vaguely  outlined  the  man 
at  the  wheel.  All  else  was  a  gray  blackness,  upon 
which  the  lofty  masts  and  flattened  sails  were  traced 
in  deeper  shadows,  like  Indian  -  ink  against  crayon. 
Two  or  three  glowing  sparks  from  lighted  pipes 
showed  where  the  watch  on  deck  were  gathered  in 
the  lee  of  the  weather  bulwarks.  Phil  started  tow- 
ards these,  but  ere  he  had  taken  half  a  dozen  steps  he 


PHIL    DISCOVERS    WHAT   HE    IS  63 

ran  plump  into  the  mate,  who  was  standing  facing  him 
on  the  weather  side  of  the  deck. 

"  Hello,  young  feller  !"  cried  that  worthy,  as  soon 
as  he  recovered  the  breath  of  which  Phil's  sudden  onset 
had  deprived  him  ;  "  ye  seem  to  be  blundering  ahead 
like  a  June-bug  in  an  electric  flare.  Aren't  ye  afraid 
ye'll  walk  overboard  next,  and  step  on  the  tail  of  a 
merrymaid  ?" 

"  No,  sir,"  laughed  the  lad  ;  "  and  I'm  awfully  sorry 
I  ran  into  you.  But  I  didn't  see  you,  indeed  I 
didn't." 

"  No  wonder,"  replied  the  mate,  good  -  naturedly, 
"for  I'm  too  thin  to  make  a  respecterble  shadder,  much 
less  to  cast  one.  Ef  it  had  been  the  cap'n  now,  ye 
couldn't  have  missed  seeing  him  any  more  than  ye 
could  the  broadside  of  a  ship.  By-the-way,  had  the 
old  man  turned  out  when  ye  left  ?" 

"  No,  sir.     I  didn't  see  him." 

"  Waal,  ye'd  not  only  seen  him^but  heerd  him  fast 
enough  ef  he  had.  He  gets  so  cramped  up  in  that 
cubby-hole  of  his'n  that  when  he  comes  out  he  has  to 
roar  to  get  his  lungs  in  working  order  again.  It's  a 
marciful  dispensation  of  Proverdence  I'm  not  a  cap'n, 
for  I  never  could  abide  to  sleep  in  one  of  them  chicken- 
coops." 

"  He  doesn't  have  to,  does  he  ?"  inquired  Phil. 

"  Sartain  he  does,  to  maintain  his  nautical  dignity. 
All  cap'ns  has  to  occupy  state  -  rooms,  pervided  their 
vessels  has  'em,  no  matter  whether  they  fit  or  not. 
Why,  there  was  my  friend  old  Kite  Roberson,  longer 
than  I  be  by  half,  so  that  when  he  was  only  a  mate  he 
had  to  have  two  end-to-end  bunks  cut  into  one  to  give 
him  stretching  -  room.  When  he  come  to  be  cap'n 
he  had  to  take  a  state-room  that  had  been  built  fer 
a  short  man,  and  couldn't  in  no  way  be  lengthened. 
Poor  old  Kite  naturally  hated  it,  but  for  the  sake  of 


64  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

his  perfessional  dig  he  uster  crawl  in  there  and  double 
himself  up  like  a  shut  jackknife.  Bimeby  it  got  so 
that  in  the  morning  they  had  to  pull  him  out  in  sec- 
tions, like  a  spy-glass,  and  rig  preventer  back-stays  on 
his  legs  to  keep  him  from  getting  sprung  in  the  knees. 
As  it  was,  he  got  so  bent  over  that  finally  his  head 
got  under  his  left  arm,  and  he  uster  turn  round  back- 
ward to  see  for'ard,  but  he  never  gave  up  his  dig,  which 
he  allus  said  it  war  his  proudest  boast." 

After  Phil  had  politely  allowed  such  time  to  elapse 
that  the  mate  might  think  he  was  laughing  over  this 
yarn,  he  said  : 

"  By-the-way,  Mr.  Coombs,  when  do  I  go  on  watch  ?" 

"You?"  replied  the  other.  "You  don't  have  to 
stand  no  watch.  Hunters  never  does." 

"Am  la—"  began  Phil;  but  his  question  was 
forced  to  remain  unasked,  for  at  that  moment  some 
subtle  sense  informed  the  mate  that  it  was  again  time 
to  change  the  schooner's  course,  and  he  bawled  out, 
"  Ready  about  !"  In  the  confusion  that  followed  he 
disappeared,  and  Phil  stumbled  forward,  more  anxious 
than  ever  to  meet  with  Serge,  and  beg  him  to  throw 
the  light  of  his  superior  knowledge  on  the  situation. 

He  discovered  his  friend  snugly  stowed  away  in  a 
forecastle  berth.  Here,  as  half  a  dozen  men  constitut- 
ing the  watch  below  occupied  other  berths  in  the  ex- 
tremely narrow  quarters  allotted  to  the  crew,  the  lads 
were  obliged  to  converse  in  whispers  to  avoid  being 
overheard,  as  well  as  not  to  disturb  those  who  slept. 

"  Why  haven't  you  been  to  supper,  old  man  ?"  began 
Phil. 

"  I  have,  long  ago,"  replied  Serge  ;  "  but  where  have 
you  been  all  this  time?  I  was  beginning  to  worry 
about  you." 

"  Been  in  the  cabin  eating  supper,  mostly  ;  but  I 
didn't  see  you  there." 


PHIL   DISCOVERS    WHAT    HE    IS  65 

"  Eating  in  the  cabin  !"  exclaimed  Serge,  springing 
up  so  carelessly  in  his  excitement  that  he  bumped  his 
head  against  the  bottom  of  the  berth  above  him. 
"  You  don't  mean  it !  Are  you  going  to  bunk  there, 
too  ?" 

"I'm  afraid  so.  You  see,  I  don't  exactly  like  to  ask 
a  favor  of  Captain  Duff,  or  I'd  try  for  permission  to 
sleep  in  here  with  you." 

"  Oh,  pshaw  !"  ejaculated  Serge.  "  You  don't  mean 
that.  You  know  you  don't.  Why,  man,  the  mere  fact 
that  you  are  billeted  in  the  cabin  instead  of  in  the 
forecastle  shows  that  you  must  be  rated  as  a  hunter." 

"Why  must  I?"  inquired  Phil,  in  a  puzzled  tone. 
"  And  pray  what  is  a  hunter  ?" 

"One  who  hunts,  of  course.  He  lives  aft,  and  don't 
have  to  stand  watch — " 

"  So  Mr.  Coombs  said,"  interrupted  Phil. 

"  Nor  do  any  of  the  ship's  work,"  continued  Serge. 

"Am  I  to  be  allowed  to  do  anything  at  all  except 
suck  my  thumbs  and  maintain  my  *  dig,'  like  old  Kite 
Robinson  ?"  asked  the  young  hunter. 

"  Oh  !  you've  heard  of  him,  have  you  ?  Of  course 
you  will  be  allowed  to  do  something.  You  will  be 
allowed  to  shoot,  and  not  only  that,  but  you  will  be 
expected  to  shoot  all  day,  and  every  day  from  sunrise 
to  sunset  ;  and  mighty  hard  work  you  will  find  it,  too, 
before  you  get  through  with  it." 

"  Shoot !"  cried  Phil,  forgetting  all  about  the  neces- 
sity for  whispering.  "  Shoot  what  ?  Fish  ?" 

"Shoot  up,  and  stow  yer  jaw  tackle,"  growled  the 
sleepy  voice  of  the  forecastle  wit  from  an  upper 
berth. 

"  Shoot  fish  !  of  course  not,"  whispered  Serge.  "  You 
will  shoot  seals  and  sea-otter,  if  we  have  the  good-luck 
to  run  across  any.  Oh  !  I  am  so  glad  you  have  got 
that  berth,  for  I've  been  wondering  and  fretting  over 


66  THE    FUR-SEAL'S    TOOTH 

how  you'd  get  along  as  a  foremast  hand  ;  but  now  it 
will  be  all  smooth  sailing." 

"  But  I  don't  understand  yet,"  protested  Phil. 
"  This  is  the  first  mention  I  have  heard  of  seals  or  sea- 
otter.  I  thought  this  was  a  fishing  schooner." 

"  So  she  is,"  replied  Serge,  a  little  impatiently ;  ".but 
on  this  coast  all  fishermen  are  pelagic  sealers  as  well 
whenever  they  get  a  chance,  and  they  generally  try  to 
ship  two  or  three  good  shots  among  the  crew  to  act 
as  hunters.  The  regular  sealers,  who  go  over  on  the 
Japan  coast,  fix  for  the  business,  and  carry  six  or  seven 
hunters.  On  this  side,  though,  and  especially  if  there 
is  a  chance  of  going  into  the  sea,  they  generally  clear 
as  fishermen.  It  makes  it  easier  to  explain,  you  under- 
stand, if  they  happen  to  get  nabbed  by  the  cutters. 
We  gathered  in  two  or  three  hundred  skins  coming  up 
the  coast,  and  I  heard  Captain  Duff  say  that  if  he 
could  get  hold  of  a  first-class  hunter  he'd  like  to  ship 
him.  Strange  that  I  never  thought  of  you  for  that 
position,  when  I  knew  what  a  good  shot  you  are,  too. 
That  must  be  why  he  changed  his  mind  so  suddenly 
about  taking  you  along,  for  at  first  he  declared  he 
couldn't  think  of  such  a  thing.  I  do  wonder,  though, 
how  he  happened  to  know  that  you  could  shoot." 

Phil  thought  he  knew,  for  he  remembered  the  crowd 
of  sailormen  who  were  gathered  about  the  shooting- 
gallery  in  Victoria  the  day  before,  and  who  had  ar> 
plauded  his  score  ;  but  he  was  too  full  of  questions 
just  now  to  waste  time  on  explanations. 

Where  did  people  shoot  seals  and  how  ?  Out  at  sea 
or  on  land?  With  rifles  or  shot-guns?  What  did 
Serge  mean  by  "  pelagic  sealers  "  ?  What  did  he  mean 
by  going  into  the  sea  ?  What  did  he  mean  by  getting 
"nabbed"? 

As  our  young  traveller,  to  whom  a  new  world  of 
strange  men,  strange  animals,  and  strange  scenes  was 


PHIL    DISCOVERS    WHAT    HE    IS  67 

about  to  be  opened,  poured  forth  these  questions  con- 
cerning it,  Serge,  to  whom  the  whole  business  of  seal- 
ing was  an  old  story,  laughed. 

"  It  would  take  several  hours  to  tell  you  the  whole 
thing,"  he  said,  "  and  I've  only  two  left  in  which  to  sleep 
before  going  on  watch  at  midnight.  So  if,  like  a  good 
fellow,  you  will  turn  in  now,  and  restrain  your  curiosi- 
ty till  morning,  I  will  then  do  my  best  to  answer  all 
your  questions." 

Apologizing  for  his  thoughtlessness,  Phil  accepted 
his  friend's  suggestion  ;  and  making  his  way  back  to 
the  cabin,  took  possession  of  the  bunk  Jalap  Coombs 
had  said  was  to  be  his.  As  he  lay  there  listening  to 
the  gurgle  of  waters  on  the  other  side  of  the  thin 
plank  separating  him  from  them,  he  could  not  help 
contrasting  his  present  position  with  that  of  only 
twenty-four  hours  before,  and- marvelling  at  the  won- 
derful changes  that  may  be  made  in  one's  surround- 
ings, circumstances,  and  whole  plan  of  life  in  the  brief 
space  of  a  single  day. 


ALASKAN  HALIBUT   HOOK 


CHAPTER  XI 
SEALS    AND    SEAL- SKINS 

As  it  is  as  essential  for  those  who  wish  to  follow 
this  story  understandingly  to  know  something  of  the 
fur-seal — its  haunts,  habits,  and  the  methods  of  its 
capture — as  it  was  to  Phil  Ryder,  let  us  anticipate  by 
a  few  hours  the  information  that  Serge  is  to  give  him, 
and  learn  a  few  of  these  things  for  ourselves. 

Most  of  us  have  seen  seals  either  in  salt-water  har- 
bors or  coast  inlets,  or  at  least  in  the  tanks  of  zoologi- 
cal gardens  ;  but  the  animals  we  have  thus  seen  are 
hair-seals,  which  are  so  common  as  to  be  found  in  all 
the  salt-waters  of  the  world  from  poles  to  tropics. 
They  are,  however,  most  plentiful  on  the  coasts  of  the 
north  Atlantic,  where  they  form  an  important  food- 
supply  for  the  Eskimos  of  Greenland  and  the  natives 
of  Labrador.  Although  the  skin  of  the  hair-seal  is  of 
little  value,  the  oil  extracted  from  its  blubber  forms  so 
important  an  article  of  commerce  that  a  large  fleet  of 
steam  and  sailing  vessels  leaves  St.  Johns,  Newfound- 
land every  year,  for  the  sole  purpose  of  capturing  hair- 
seals,  and  the  annual  catch  amounts  to  several  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  these  animals. 

The  fur-seal  is  as  different  from  its  cousin  the  hair- 
seal  as  a  sheep  is  from  a  goat.  The  most  important 
point  of  difference  between  them  is  that  while  both 
are  furnished  with  outer  coats  of  stiff  grayish  hair, 
the  former  wears  an  under  covering  of  soft  velvetlike 
down  or  fur  which  the  hair-seal  is  obliged  to  go  with- 
out. It  is  this  under-garment  of  the  fur-seal  that  is  so 


SEALS    AND    SEAL-SKINS  69 

highly  prized,  and  from  which  are  made  the  seal-skin 
jackets,  cloaks,  muffs,  and  other  articles  that  are  so  ex- 
pensive and  valuable. 

An  immense  amount  of  the  most  skilled  and  careful 
labor  is  devoted  to  preparing  these  seal-skins,  besides 
that  required  in  procuring  them  in  distant  seas  and 
shipping  them  to  London,  where  it  can  be  had  most 
cheaply.  When  removed  from  the  animal  the  skin  is 
salted,  bundled,  and  shipped.  Arrived  at  its  destina- 
tion it  must  be  repeatedly  wet,  dried,  and  heated, 
scraped,  shaved  down  to  a  uniform  thickness,  and 
softened.  Then  its  outer  coating  of  coarse,  unsightly 
hairs  must  be  plucked  out  by  the  roots,  and  the  yellow- 
ish-gray inner  coat  of  soft  fur  must  be  given  eight  to 
twelve  coatings  of  dye,  applied  by  hand  with  a  brush, 
in  order  to  produce  the  rich  "  seal-brown  "  color  that 
fashion  demands.  The  amount  of  labor  thus  expended 
on  a  single  skin  is  enormous,  and  as  several  of  them 
are  required  for  a  garment,  while  a  heavy  duty  must 
be  paid  before  they  can  re-enter  this  country,  it  is  no 
wonder  that  seal-skin  jackets  are  expensive  luxuries. 

One  hundred  years  or  so  ago  vast  rookeries  of  fur- 
seals  existed  in  the  far  southern  waters  of  the  Antarc- 
tic Ocean.  During  a  period  of  eighty  years  these  were 
so  ruthlessly  destroyed  by  the  sealing-fleets  of  all  mar- 
itime nations  that  in  those  waters  the  fur-seal  became 
practically  extinct. 

About  1768  the  Russian  sea-otter  hunters,  who  had 
discovered  the  Aleutian  Islands,  that  wonderful  chain 
of  volcanic  rocks  that  divides  Bering  Sea  from  the 
North  Pacific,  first  noticed  the  annual  migration  of 
countless  millions  of  fur-seals  northward  through  the 
passes  between  the  islands  in  the  early  summer,  and 
southward  in  the  autumn.  For  eighteen  years  they 
sought  in  vain  to  discover  where  these  seals  went  to, 
and  at  length  a  Muscovite  fur-trader  named  Gerassin 


VO  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  I;OOTU 

Pribyloff  solved  the  mystery.  For  three  years  he  had 
braved  the  terrors  of  Bering  Sea,  cruising  over  its 
length  and  breadth  in  a  little  old  sloop  named  St. 
George.  At  length  on  a  certain  July  day,  when  the 
fog  was  so  dense  that  it  hid  one  end  of  his  vessel  from 
the  other,  he  heard  the  roar  of  a  vast  concourse  of  seals, 
and  at  the  same  time  there  was  wafted  to  him  through 
the  sodden  air  the  unmistakable  odor  of  their  rookeries. 

With  the  lifting  of  the  fog  Pribyloff  discovered  the 
group  of  rocky  islets  that  bears  his  name  to  this  day. 
The  nearest  or  most  southerly  of  these  he  named  St. 
George,  after  his  vessel,  while  a  much  larger  one  some 
thirty  miles  to  the  north  he  called  St.  Paul.  Two 
other  insignificant  islets  named  Otter  and  Walrus 
complete  the  group. 

From  these  islands,  which  are  enveloped  in  fog  for 
half  the  year,  and  lashed  by  winter  storms  during  the 
remainder,  comes  to-day  the  bulk  of  the  world's  supply 
of  seal-skin.  While  they  were  owned  by  the  Russians, 
the  annual  slaughter  of  seals  upon  them  was  something 
incredible,  amounting  to  many  hundreds  of  thousands. 
It  sometimes  happened  that  a  hundred  thousand  skins 
would  be  cast  into  the  sea  and  destroyed,  in  order  to 
keep  up  the  market  price,  and  the  utter  extermination 
of  the  fur-seal  appeared  inevitable.  Since  1867,  how- 
ever, when  the  Pribyloffs,  together  with  the  rest  of 
Alaska,  became  the  property  of  the  United  States, 
wise  laws  have  so  restricted  the  killing  that  the  pres- 
ervation of  the  seal  herds  is  assured  just  so  long  as 
the  laws  can  be  enforced.  Under  these  laws  only  one 
company,  which  pays  handsomely  for  the  privilege,  may 
kill  seals  on  these  islands,  and  even  it  may  only  kill 
a  specified  number  of  young  males  between  one  and 
six  years  of  age.  Thus  the  old  bulls,  the  females,  and 
the  pups  are  never  molested. 

On  this  little  group  of  fog-enshrouded  islands  does 


THE   FUR-SEALS   AT    HOME 


SEALS    AND    SEAL-SKINS  71 

the  fur-seal  breed,  and  to  them  the  vast  herds  return 
year  after  year  with  the  regularity  of  the  seasons 
themselves.  They  arrive  in  June  and  depart  in  Oc- 
tober, when  they  move  southward  into  the  Pacific, 
spreading  themselves  over  all  its  limitless  area,  be- 
tween the  coasts  of  North  America  and  Japan,  but 
never  landing  or  leaving  the  water  until  they  again 
return  to  their  chosen  home  in  Bering  Sea. 

In  their  annual  northward  journey  the  seals  divide 
into  two  great  herds,  one  of  which  follows  the  North 
American  coast-line,  and  the  other  that  of  Japan,  keep- 
ing as  close  to  shore  as  do  the  schools  of  fish  on  which 
they  feed,  which  is  anywhere  from  one  to  two  hun- 
dred miles.  During  this  journey  they  are  harassed 
and  pursued  by  what  is  termed  "  pelagic "  or  open- 
water  sealers,  both  American,  who  outfit  at  San  Fran- 
cisco or  Seattle,  and  British,  w"ho  sail  from  Victoria. 
Heretofore  these  pelagic  sealers,  who  are  said  to  kill 
and  lose  from  five  to  ten  seals  for  every  one  that  they 
obtain,  and  who  annually  bring  in  several  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  skins,  have  been  unrestrained  by  law. 
For  some  years  they  hunted  in  the  waters  of  Bering 
Sea,  as  well  as  in  the  open  ocean.  Finally  the  Amer- 
icans claimed  the  exclusive  control  of  the  sea,  and  the 
British  denied  that  they  possessed  the  right  to  do  so. 
While  the  question  was  in  dispute,  both  parties  agreed 
that  Bering  Sea  should  be  closed  to  all  pelagic  sealers, 
and  both  nations  maintained  war  vessels  in  those 
waters  to  capture  or  drive  away  any  sealers  violating 
this  agreement.  In  1893  the  vexed  question  was  set- 
tled by  arbitration,  that  gave  to  the  Americans  ex- 
clusive control  of  Bering  Sea  waters  within  a  radius 
of  sixty  miles  of  the  Pribyloff  Islands,  forbade  the 
killing  of  fur-seals  in  any  waters  between  the  first  of 
May  and  the  last  of  July,  and  prohibited  the  use  of 
rifles  in  seal-hunting  at  any  time. 


72  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

As  the  year  of  our  story  was  before  that  of  this 
settlement  by  arbitration,  Bering  Sea  was  closed  by 
law  to  all  sealers,  though  certain  of  them  still  dared  the 
risk  of  entering  it  for  the  sake  of  the  rich  prizes  they 
might  bring  out  if  undetected  by  any  of  the  patrol- 
ling war-ships.  At  the  same  time  pelagic  sealing  was 
briskly  carried  on  outside  of  the  protected  waters,  and 
the  north-bound  herds  were  harassed  on  all  sides  by 
swift  sailing-vessels  and  even  steamers  fitted  out  for 
their  destruction.  Some  of  these  attempted  to  pass 
themselves  off  as  fishermen,  and  as  such  ventured  in- 
side the  forbidden  limits,  trusting  to  their  disguise  to 
protect  them. 

It  was  on  board  one  of  these  pelagic  sealers,  owned 
in  Victoria  and  clearing  as  a  fisherman  from  that  port, 
that  Phil  Ryder  now  found  himself  shipped  as  a 
hunter.  In  this  position  he  hoped  and  expected  to 
make  a  speedy  voyage  to  Sitka,  in  Alaska,  which  was 
at  the  same  time  one  of  the  very  last  ports  in  which 
Captain  Duff  would  have  cared  to  find  himself  under 
the  circumstances. 

Most  of  the  foregoing  information  concerning  fur- 
seals  was  imparted  to  Phil  by  Serge  on  the  morning  of 
the  first  day  out,  and  before  the  lesson  was  concluded 
the  former's  eyes  were  opened  to  many  things.  He 
had  been  awakened  very  early  that  morning  by  a  start- 
ling crash,  which  for  a  moment  caused  him  to  imag- 
ine that  the  Seameiv  had  struck  a  rock.  At  the  same 
time  the  cabin  was  filled  with  the  roar  of  Captain 
Duff's  fierce  voice.  Reassured  as  to  the  safety  of  the 
schooner,  Phil  smiled  as  he  recalled  Jalap  Coombs's 
theory  of  the  necessary  lung  exercise  indicated  by  the 
latter  sound.  The  burly  master  of  the  Seamew  seemed 
to  have  been  entirely  restored  to  his  wonted  state  of 
mind  by  his  night  of  seclusion,  and  to  have  decided  to 
continue  his  practice  of  loud-mouthed  bullying  in  spite 


r" 


SEALS    AND    SEAL-SKINS  73 

of  the  surprising  setback  it  had  received  the  evening 
before.  Consequently  the  moment  he  emerged  from 
his  state-room  he  glanced  about  him  to  see  whom 
he  might  first  devour.  Just  then  the  form  of  the 
schooner's  black  cook,  Ebenezer  by  name,  who  was 
called  "Ebb"  for  short,  and  sometimes  "Slack  Ebb" 
or  "  Low  Ebb,"  as  the  nautical  fancy  of  the  crew  sug- 
gested, appeared  at  the  entrance  of  the  narrow  passage 
leading  from  the  galley. 

Snatching  a  plate  from  the  table,  and  flinging  it  at 
the  cook's  head  to  emphasize  his  remarks,  the  captain 
roared  out  a  query  as  to  why  breakfast  was  not  ready. 

Adroitly  ducking  like  one  well  accustomed  to  such 
greetings,  and  thereby  allowing  the  flying  missile  to 
crash  against  the  side  of  Phil's  bunk,  Ebenezer  grinned 
to  show  his  appreciation  of  the  captain's  playfulness, 
and  answered  :  "  Yes,  sah.  Dreckly,  in  free  minute, 
sah." 

"  Three  minutes,  ye  black  swab  !  See  that  it's  on 
the  table  inside  of  one  minute,  or  I'll  have  ye  cut  into 
fish-chum,  and  make  halibut  bait  of  your  heart." 

"Berry  good,  sah,"  responded  Ebenezer,  still  grin- 
ning, though  his  eyes  rolled  wildly  at  this  horrible 
threat,  as  he  hastily  shuffled  from  the  cabin  backward 
like  a  crab.  Not  until  he  gained  the  shelter  of  the 
passage  did  he  cease  to  watch  the  captain's  every 
movement.  Then  he  turned  and  fled  precipitately  to 
the  galley.  Here  he  felt  as  safe  as  though  in  a  for- 
tified castle,  for  the  passage  was  too  narrow  to  be  suc- 
cessfully navigated  by  so  beamy  a  craft  as  the  Sea- 
mew's  master,  and  when  that  autocrat  of  the  ship  was 
on  deck  the  cook  took  good  care  to  keep  the  galley 
hatch  closed  and  fastened  on  the  inside. 

At  Ebb's  flight,  Captain  Duff  chuckled  hoarsely, 
and  muttered  to  himself,  "That's  the  way  to  fix  'em." 

"Good-morning,  sir,"  remarked  Phil  at  this  moment. 


74  THE  FUH-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  Eh  !  What's  that  ?"  demanded  the  captain,  whirl- 
ing around  with  surprising  agility  for  a  man  of  his 
size.  "Why  aren't  you  on  deck,  ye  landlubber?  I 
want  you  to  understand  that  I  don't  allow  no  skulking 
below  at  this  time  o'  day." 

"Very  well,  sir.  I'll  go  just  as  quick  as  I  get  my 
shoes  on.  I  don't  suppose  you  want  me  to  do  so  bare- 
footed." 

"  Barefooted,  or  web-footed,  or  club-footed,  or  with- 
out any  feet  at  all  !  What  is  it  to  me  how  ye  go,  so 
long  as  ye  do  go !"  roared  the  captain.  "Am  I  master 
of  this  ship,  I'd  like  to  know,  or  am  I  only  a  howling 
figure-head  ?" 

"  You  certainly  are,  sir,"  replied  Phil,  as  with  shoes 
in  hand  he  moved  towards  the  companion-way.  "  And 
I  am  certain  that  no  one  who  is  acquainted  with  you 
would  doubt  it  for  a  moment." 

With  this  parting  shot  the  lad  disappeared,  leaving 
the  captain  to  splutter  and  fume  and  wonder  if  there 
was  any  hidden  meaning  in  his  remark.  "  If  it  warn't 
for  his  shooting,"  he  muttered,  "  I'd  set  him  ashore  on 
the  first  land  we  make,  and  I  don't  know  but  what 
I'd  better  get  rid  of  him  anyway,  afore  he  stirs  up  a 
mutiny." 

Then  he  went  on  deck,  where  he  made  things  so 
lively  for  the  next  five  minutes,  and  sent  the  crew 
scurrying  hither  and  thither  with  such  agility  by  his 
fiercely  worded  and  loudly  bellowed  orders,  that  when 
he  went  below  for  breakfast  he  actually  forgot  to  find 
fault  with  the  cook  for  having  served  the  meal  so  long 
before  that  its  several  dishes  had  grown  cold. 


CHAPTER  XII 
CAPTAIN   DUFF'S    SHREWDNESS 

ALTHOUGH  Phil  Ryder  was  generally  a  hearty  eater, 
he  had  a  dainty  taste,  and  was  very  particular  about 
his  food.  It  must  be  what  he  liked,  it  must  be  cooked 
just  so,  and,  above  all,  it  must  be  served  with  cleanli- 
ness, or  he  would  rather  experience  a  considerable  de- 
gree of  hunger  than  touch  it.  In  this  he  had  been 
encouraged  by  his  aunt  Ruth,  and,  to  a  certain  extent, 
by  his  father.  Now,  therefore, -he  found  the  Seamew's 
table  so  far  beneath  his  standard  of  perfection,  and  so 
very  different  from  those  to  which  he  had  been  accus- 
tomed, that  he  barely  tasted  the  food  prepared  for  that 
breakfast.  He  refused  the  coffee — which,  as  Captain 
Duff  was  a  great  coffee-drinker,  was  of  a  better  quality 
than  that  usually  furnished  aboard-ship — nibbled  at  a 
bit  of  hardtack,  and  then  pushed  back  his  stool. 

"What's  up?"  inquired  the  captain,  noting  this 
movement  with  surprise.  "  Feeling  squeamish  ?  I 
thought  you  never  got  seasick." 

"  No,  sir,  I'm  not  feeling  squeamish,  and  I'm  not  in 
the  habit  of  getting  seasick." 

"  Then  why  don't  ye  eat  ?" 

"  Because  I'm  not  hungry." 

"  Humph  !  ye'd  better  say  at  once  that  it's  because 
the  victuals  don't  suit  ye.  Never  mind,  though  ;  we'll 
try  and  have  them  fixed  to  your  liking  the  next  time." 

After  breakfast,  the  mate,  who  had  been  up  all  night, 
and  had  brought  the  schooner  safely  through  the  Strait 


76  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

of  Fuca  into  an  open  seaway,  turned  in  for  a  long  sleep, 
and  Captain  Duff  took  the  deck. 

Phil  went  forward  for  his  talk  with  Serge,  and 
learned,  among  other  things,  that  the  light-house  tower 
of  Cape  Flattery,  which  was  just  fading  from  view, 
marked  the  most  northerly  light-station  of  the  United 
States  on  the  Pacific  coast.  When  the  young  hunter 
wondered  at  this,  and  asked  if  there  were  no  light- 
houses in  Alaska,  Serge  replied  that  so  far  as  he  knew 
there  was  not  one. 

In  this  statement  he  was  correct,  for  though  many 
Alaska  harbors  and  channels  are  well  buoyed  and 
marked  by  day  beacons,  yet  on  all  of  its  thousands  of 
miles  of  storm-beaten,  fog-enshrouded  coast  not  a  light 
sends  forth  its  cheery  gleam,  nor  does  a  single  fog- 
horn give  warning  of  hidden  dangers. 

Phil  was  intensely  interested  in  everything  that 
Serge  told  him  concerning  seals,  and  now  realized  for 
the  first  time  the  importance  of  his  position  on  board 
the  Sqamew,  and  the  reason  why  his  skill  in  shooting 
had  been  so  highly  regarded  by  Captain  Duff. 

"  What  pay  does  a  seal-hunter  generally  receive  ?" 
he  asked,  after  a  short  period  of  thinking. 

"  One  dollar  each  for  the  first  one  hundred  skins,  two 
dollars  for  the  first  two  hundred,  and  so  on  up  to  four 
dollars  each  for  the  first  four  hundred,  I  believe,"  re- 
sponded Serge. 

"  And  how  many  does  a  good  hunter  usually  secure  ? 
What  is  the  average,  I  mean  ?" 

"The  best  I  have  heard  of  in  a  three  months'  cruise 
is  four  hundred  and  sixteen  skins,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Whew  !"  ejaculated  Phil.  "  That  would  make  his 
pay  for  three  months'  work  something  over  sixteen 
hundred  dollars.  If  I  could  only  make  half  of  that 
sum,  wouldn't  it  be  fine  ?  How  much  do  the  green 
skins  fetch  ?" 


77 

"  Anywhere  from,  ten  to  twenty  dollars  apiece,  ac- 
cording to  the  demand." 

"I  had  no  idea  they  were  so  valuable,  and  I  wish  we 
could  begin  getting  some  right  away.  I  should  like  to 
make  enough  money  before  reaching  Sitka  to  replace 
what  I  lost  by  carelessness,"  remarked  Phil.  "I  for- 
got, though,"  he  added,  with  an  abrupt  change  of  tone 
arid  a  comical  expression  of  dismay.  "  I  have  agreed 
to  work  without  wages,  and  I  suppose  that  means  that 
I  am  not  to  receive  any  commission,  no  matter  how 
many  skins  I  get.  I  wonder  if  I  am  shipped  as  a 
hunter  or  only  as  a  sailor  ?" 

"  I  am  sure  I  don't  know,"  answered  Serge.  "  Didn't 
you  read  the  paper  before  you  signed  it  ?" 

"  No  ;  I  was  in  too  much  of  a  hurry,  and  too  glad  to 
be  taken  on  any  terms.  Did  you  read  it  ?" 

"  No,  for  I  thought,  of  course,- that  you  had." 

"Well,"  sighed  Phil,  "  I  have  often  heard  my  father 
say  that  one  should  never  sign  his  name  to  a  paper  of 
any  kind  without  knowing  exactly  what  it  contained. 
Oh,  dear !  If  a  fellow  could  only  remember  and  do 
just  what  his  father  told  him,  how  easy  it  would  be  to 
keep  out  of  scrapes.  I  wonder  why  it  is  that  we 
never  think  of  these  things  until  it  is  too  late  ?" 

"How  lucky  those  fellows  are  who  have  fathers  to 
tell  them  what  to  do.  I  haven't  had  one  since  I  was  a 
little  chap  and  too  young  to  appreciate  him,"  said 
Serge,  rather  enviously. 

At  this  point  in  the  conversation  Captain  Duff  called 
Phil  aft,  and  said  that  he  wished  him  to  join  in  a  shoot- 
ing-match with  the  other  two  hunters,  Ike  Croly  and 
Oro  Dunn.  A  number  of  rifles  and  shot-guns  lay  on 
top  of  the  cabin  -  house,  while  towing  astern  of  the 
schooner,  and  bobbing  in  her  wake  at  the  end  of  a 
hundred  yards  of  line,  was  a  round  billet  of  wood 
painted  black,  and  about  the  size  of  a  very  small  keg. 


78  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"Five  shots  apiece  with  rifles,  six  with  shot-guns, 
and  I  will  keep  the  score,"  announced  the  captain,  add- 
ing, "and  the  one  who  does  the  poorest  cleans  the 
guns." 

One  after  another  the  young  men  stepped  to  the 
rail  and  fired  without  a  rest,  with  either  rifle  or  shot- 
gun, as  the  case  might  be.  Although  the  captain,  who 
watched  the  target  through  a  glass,  would  announce 
no  results  until  the  contest  was  ended,  Phil  saw  so 
many  splashes  in  the  water  while  others  were  shoot- 
ing, that  though  he  was  unable  to  judge  of  his  own 
work,  he  was  almost  certain  the  gun  cleaning  of  that 
day  would  not  fall  to  him. 

To  his  dismay,  when  the  contest  was  ended,  the 
captain,  who  had  kept  the  score  in  a  blank-book,  de- 
clared that  out  of  the  eleven  shots  fired  by  each  Ike 
Croly  had  scored  nine  hits  and  two  misses,  Oro  Dunn 
eight  hits  and  three  misses,  arid  Phil  Ryder  five  hits 
and  six  misses.  "You  therefore  may  take  the  guns 
forward  and  clean  'em,"  he  said  to  Phil.  "  And  I 
must  say  I  expected  better  work  from  you,  judging  by 
the  way  you  bragged  yesterday." 

Phil  could  not  understand  it.  He  could  not  remem- 
ber having  shot  so  poorly  as  that  in  years.  His  defeat 
was  the  harder  to  bear  on  account  of  Captain  Duff's 
scornful  words  and  the  triumphant  looks  of  the  other 
hunters,  who,  as  he  had  seen  from  the  first,  were  in- 
tensely jealous  of  him.  Still,  there  was  nothing  to  be 
said  or  done,  and  gathering  up  the  guns  he  went  for- 
ward to  clean  them.  He  was  resolved,  however,  that 
when  the  time  came  for  real  action  he  would  show 
those  two  who  could  bring  in  the  most  seal-skins, 
which  was  exactly  the  result  that  shrewd  Captain  Duff 
wished  to  obtain. 

By  the  time  the  young  hunter  finished  his  task  the 
morning  was  well  spent,  and  he  was  beginning  to  sniff 


"HE    FOUND   A    BAILER   WITH   WHICH   HE   SKT    VIGOROUSLY:    TO    WORK" 


CAPTAIN    DUFF'S    SHREWDNESS  79 

with  some  interest  the  savory  odors  of  cooking  that 
came  from  the  galley.  As  he  carried  the  cleaned 
guns  into  the  cabin  and  placed  them  in  their  racks,  he 
was  glad  to  see  that  Ebenezer  was  setting  the  table 
for  dinner. 

When  he  again  went  on  deck  the  captain  ordered 
him  to  bail  out  the  boat  that  was  towing  astern. 
Looking  over  the  rail,  Phil  noticed  for  the  first  time 
that  one  of  the  three  light  whale-boats  carried  by  the 
schooner  was  indeed  towing  astern  by  a  short  painter. 
He  could  discover  no  way  of  getting  into  her  save  by 
sliding  down  the  rope  by  which  she  was  held,  and  he 
wondered  if  the  feat  were  possible.  His  hesitation 
was  but  momentary,  however,  for  he  saw  that  his 
hunter  rivals  and  several  of  the  crew  were  watching 
him  curiously. 

So  the  lad  swung  himself  ovjer  the  rail,  and  tightly 
clutching  the  rope  with  both  hands  and  feet,  slid 
downward.  As  he  reached  the  boat,  his  weight  rest- 
ing on  the  bow  caused  it  to  sheer  so  abruptly  that  he 
was  very  nearly  flung  into  the  eddying  water,  but  with 
a  violent  effort  he  managed  to  fling  himself  at  full 
length  into  the  bottom  of  the  uneasy  craft.  As  he 
scrambled  up  he  saw,  to  his  dismay,  that  the  forward 
plug  was  missing,  and  through  the  half -inch  hole  thus 
left  in  the  boat's  bottom  a  stream  of  water  was  spirt- 
ing viciously.  Acting  more  from  instinct  than  from 
knowledge  he  made  his  way  hurriedly  to  the  after  end. 
Thus  his  weight  sank  the  stern  and  at  the  same  time 
lifted  the  bow,  so  that  the  volume  of  water  entering 
the  boat  was  very  considerably  diminished.  Here  he 
found  a  wooden  bailer,  with  which  he  set  vigorously 
to  work. 

After  a  few  minutes  of  this  he  bethought  himself 
that  some  one  might  toss  him  a  plug  from  the  schooner, 
and  he  hailed  the  deck  at  the  top  of  his  voice.  Al- 


80  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

though  he  shouted  until  he  was  hoarse,  he  received  no 
answer,  nor  could  he  catch  a  glimpse  of  a  human  being 
on  board  the  craft  behind  which  he  was  towing.  No 
one  came  to  look  at  him  over  the  rail,  and  she  might 
have  been  sailing  of  her  own  accord  at  her  own  sweet 
Will  for  aught  that  he  could  see  of  life  or  guiding  in- 
telligence. One  thing  he  did  discover,  however,  which 
was  that  the  rope  by  which  he  was  towing  had  been 
so  lengthened  that  his  boat  was  now  twice  the  distance 
from  the  schooner  it  had  been  when  he  entered  it. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE    FIRST    SEAL-HUNT 

FOB  an  hour  or  more  Phil  Ryder  sal  in  the  stern  of 
the  boat,  alternately  bailing,  shouting,  and  casting 
hopeful  glances  at  the  schooner's  rail  every  few  mo- 
ments in  the  full  expectation  of  seeing  some  one  who 
would  relieve  him  from  his  unpleasant  position.  Dur- 
ing this  time  he  was  painfully  conscious  of  a  most 
vigorous  appetite,  that  was  whetted  by  occasional  tan- 
talizing whiffs  that  came  floating  back  to  him  from 
the  galley.  At  length  he  began  to  believe  that  by 
some  strange  oversight  he  must  have  been  forgotten, 
and  that  if  anything  was  done  to  relieve  the  situation 
he  must  do  it  himself.  He  thought  that  if  he  could 
only  haul  his  boat  up  close  under  the  stern  of  the 
schooner  he  might  be  able  to  climb  up  the  rope,  and 
so  gain  her  deck.  As  no  other  plan  offered,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  put  this  one  into  execution,  and  stepping 
forward  into  the  bow  of  the  boat,  without  regard  to 
the  increase  of  water  that  this  movement  caused  to 
flow  in  through  the  plug-hole,  he  seized  the  rope  and 
began  to  pull  with  all  his  might.  The  instant  the 
stern  was  raised  and  the  bow  lowered  by  this  transfer 
of  weight  the  boat  sheered  wildly  to  one  side.  Then 
she  was  brought  back  with  a  sudden  jerk  that  very 
nearly  capsized  her,  and  immediately  made  a  furious 
rush  in  the  opposite  direction,  until  her  bow  was  so 
nearly  dragged  under  that  to  save  himself  and  restore 
the  former  state  of  affairs  Phil  was  compelled  once 
more  to  spring  aft.  His  sole  plan  for  escape  had 


82  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

resulted  in  dismal  failure,  and  so  much  water  had 
entered  the  boat  during  the  experiment  that  to  keep 
her  from  swamping  he  had  need  to  bail  furiously  for 
another  hour.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  had  once 
more  got  the  better  of  the  exasperating  leak,  so  that 
he  could  rest  for  a  few  minutes.  Then  he  must  fall 
to  bailing  again.  So  in  resting  and  bailing  by  turns 
the  long  afternoon  hours  were  slowly  worn  away. 
The  poor  lad  was  faint  from  hunger,  cold,  wet,  and 
furious  at  the  supposed  carelessness  that  had  left  him 
in  such  an  unpleasant,  not  to  say  dangerous,  position. 

It  was  not  until  nearly  sunset  that  the  welcome 
sound  of  a  voice  came  to  his  ears.  Looking  up,  he 
saw  Ebenezer's  black  face  peeping  over  the  rail,  and 
heard  him  announce,  "  Suppah,  sah  !" 

"  Haul  in  on  the  painter,  you  grinning  idiot  !" 
shouted  Phil,  whereupon  the  negro  placed  his  hand 
to  his  ear  and  called  back  :  "  Yes,  sah.  Suppah  !" 

"  Oh,  what  an  old  stupid!"  groaned  Phil,  sinking 
back  despairingly  in  the  stern  of  the  boat.  "  I  may 
stay  here  until  I  starve  or  drown  for  all  the  help  he'll 
give  me." 

Just  then  came  another  shout,  and  a  new  hope 
sprang  into  the  breast  of  the  despairing  lad  as  he  saw 
the  lank  but  powerful  frame  of  Jalap  Coombs  rising 
above  the  rail,  and  felt  that  his  boat  was  being  drawn 
towards  the  schooner.  When  it  was  at  length  pulled 
up  as  close  as  possible  the  mate  shouted: 

"Now,  lad,  make  a  climb  for  it  hand  over  hand, 
and  I'll  stand  by  to  give  ye  a  h'ist  when  ye  get  within 
reach." 

A  minute  later  Phil  stood  safe  and  sound  on  the 
iSeamew's  deck,  but  so  angry  that  he  broke  out  at  once 
with : 

"  That's  as  mean  a  piece  of  business  as  I  ever  heard 
of,  and  if  I  can  find  out  who  is  responsible  for  it, 


THE    FIEST   SEAL-HUNT  83 

I'll  pay  him  back,  see  if  I  don't !  It's  an  outrage  ! 
and—" 

"  Steady,  lad  !  Steady !"  interrupted  Jalap  Coombs. 
"Your  trouble's  all  over  now,  and  there  ain't  no  use 
kicking  it  into  life  again.  As  my  friend  old  Kite 
Roberson  uster  say — " 

"  Oh,  hang  Kite  Robinson  !"  cried  Phil. 

"  So,  now  !  So  !  What  did  poor  old  Kite  ever  do 
to  you  that  ye  should  want  to  hang  him  ?  'Tain't 
right  to  speak  so  onrespectful  agin  them  as  is  older 
than  you  be,  and  'twon't  do  no  good  nuther.  As  my  old 
friend  uster  offen  say,  *  Ef  ye  kick  a  trouble,  it  '11  kick 
back,  but  there  ain't  no  trouble  in  the  world  kin  stand 
up  agin  a  good  broad  grin.'  So  jest  ye  give  a  grin 
'stead  of  a  kick,  and  ye'll  feel  all  right." 

Phil  could  not  help  laughing  at  the  very  homeliness 
of  this  advice,  and  with  that  laugh  his  recent  experi- 
ence did  really  begin  to  look  as  much  like  a  joke — 
though  a  rather  serious  one,  to  be  sure — as  an  outrage. 
In  another  moment  he  was  following  Jalap  Coombs 
into  the  cabin,  where  Captain  Duff  and  the  two  other 
hunters  were  already  seated  at  supper. 

How  warm  and  bright  and  cosey  the  cabin  did  seem  ! 
Phil  wondered  how  he  could  have  thought  it  dingy 
and  stuffy.  How  good  it  was  to  see  a  bountifully 
provided  table  once  more,  and  people  !  He  even  felt 
an  almost  friendly  feeling  towards  the  captain,  whose 
broad  red  face  loomed  above  one  end  of  the  table. 

"  Hello,  Ryder  !"  roared  that  individual.  "  Too  bad 
ye  was  left  out  in  that  boat  so  long,  but  fact  is  I've 
been  turned  in  all  the  afternoon,  and  I  neglected  to 
mention  it  to  Mr.  Coombs  when  he  went  on  watch. 
The  wust  of  it  to  me  would  have  been  the  missing  of 
my  dinner  ;  but  I  don't  suppose  you  minded  that,  see- 
ing as  ye  ain't  pertickerler  'bout  eating  noway." 

"  The  worst  of  it  was  that  as  a  plug  was  out  of  the 


84 

boat,  I  had  to  bail  nearly  all  the  time  to  keep  her  from 
swamping,"  replied  Phil. 

"  Sho,  now  !  That  so  ?  Waal,  it  give  ye  something 
to  do,  and  kep'  ye  from  idleness,  which  some  folks 
finds  mighty  hard  to  stand.  I  don't  mind  it  much  my- 
self, but  then  we  ain't  all  made  alike." 

Phil  was  too  busy  eating  to  make  any  reply  to  this, 
and  at  the  same  time  he  was  wondering  if  a  new  cook 
had  been  found  to  take  Ebenezer's  place.  Certainly 
nothing  he  had  previously  eaten  on  board  the  Seamen 
had  tasted  half  so  good  as  that  supper. 

It  was  a  noticeable  fact  that  from  that  time  on  our 
young  hunter  seemed  to  enjoy  his  meals  as  much  as 
any  of  those  who  sat  at  the  cabin  table.  It  was  also 
observed  that  Captain  Duff  every  now  and  then  broke 
into  a  hoarse  chuckle  at  meal-times  without  any  appar- 
ent cause. 

Early  the  next  morning,  several  seals  having  been 
seen  from  the  schooner's  deck,  the  three  boats  were 
cleared  away  and  sent  forth  in  pursuit  of  the  shy  but 
coveted  game.  In  each  boat  were  a  hunter,  a  boat- 
puller,  and  a  steersman  ;  each  was  provided  with  a 
sail,  oars,  and  a  boat  compass,  and  in  each  were  stowed 
a  breaker  of  fresh  water  and  a  bag  of  sea-biscuit.  The 
hunter  sat  or  stood  in  the  bows  forward  of  the  mast, 
where  he  could  have  an  unobstructed  view  ahead  and 
on  both  sides.  He  was  provided  with  both  a  rifle  and 
a  shot-gun,  one  or  the  other  of  which  was  always  in 
his  hands  ready  for  instant  use.  He  also  carried  a 
plentiful  supply  of  cartridges. 

The  boat-puller  sat  amidship,  and  rowed  or  trimmed 
sail  as  occasion  might  demand  ;  while  the  steersman, 
occupying  the  stern,  not  only  steered  the  boat,  but 
kept  careful  note  of  the  courses  taken  by  means  of  his 
compass,  and  of  weather  indications.  He  of  course  is 
always  an  experienced  sailor.  All  three  were  warmly 


THE   FIRST    SEAL-HUNT  85 

clad,  and  each  had  an  oil-skin  suit  ready  at  hand.  A 
long-handled  gaff  or  sharp  hook  of  steel  lay  along  the 
thwarts,  where  it  could  be  readily  reached  by  any  one 
of  the  three. 

When  the  boats  left  the  schooner  they  separated 
until  about  half  a  mile  apart,  and  then  ran  down  the 
wind,  all  steering  exactly  the  same  course.  They  were 
followed  by  the  Seamew,  under  shortened  sail,  and 
steering  the  same  course  as  they.  Thus,  though  they 
might  lose  sight  of  her  through  distance,  darkness,  or 
fog,  they  were  pretty  certain  to  find  her  again,  though 
it  often  happens  that  seal-hunting  boats  are  lost,  some- 
times to  be  picked  up  after  days  of  anxious  drifting, 
and  not  infrequently  never  to  be  seen  or  heard  of 
more. 

Serge  was  ordered  to  go  as  boat-puller  in  the  craft 
of  which  Phil  was  the  hunter, much  to  the  satisfaction 
of  both  lads.  As  they  were  the  least  experienced  of 
the  three  crews,  they  were  given  the  schooner's  best 
sailor-man  for  boat-steerer,  no  other  than  Jalap  Coombs 
himself. 

Phil  felt  rather  nervous  as  he  found  himself  actually 
embarked  on  the  career  of  a  seal-hunter,  and  realized 
how  largely  the  success  of  the  cruise  depended  on  his 
individual  efforts.  To  be  sure,  he  had,  by  his  own 
carelessness,  cut  himself  off  from  sharing  any  of  its 
profits,  but  he  felt  that  he  had  a  reputation  at  stake. 
So,  like  all  young  sportsmen,  he  was  extremely  anxious 
to  make  as  good  a  "  bag  "  as  either  of  the  other  hunters 
who  were  on  the  same  quest  as  himself.  Thus  he  was 
determined  to  do  his  very  best,  if  only  to  show  Ike 
Croly  and  Oro  Dunn  that  there  were  other  people  in 
the  world  who  could  shoot  as  well  as,  if  not  a  little 
better  than,  they. 

This  first  hunting  day  was  a  gray  one,  with  occa- 
sional flurries  of  rain,  but  fortunately  without  fog — a 


86  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

rare  circumstance  in  those  latitudes.  For  an  hour  or 
more  the  occupants  of  the  mate's  boat  held  their  course 
without  catching  sight  of  the  coveted  game,  though 
the  eyes  of  all  three  searched  the  dull  surface  of  the 
waters  incessantly.  They  heard  several  faint  shots 
from  the  direction  taken  by  the  other  boats,  and  these 
only  made  them  the  more  anxious  to  discover  game 
of  their  own.  Suddenly  a  sharp  whisper  of  "  There's 
one  !"  from  the  stern  of  the  boat  caused  both  lads  to 
look  around. 

"  Where  ?"  cried  Phil,  eagerly,  not  realizing  in  his 
excitement  that  he  was  speaking  aloud. 

"  Gone,"  answered  the  mate,  dryly,  but  in  a  tone  of 
great  vexation,  "to  see  who  ye  was  hollering  at." 
With  this  he  pointed  to  the  right,  where  the  boys  saw, 
already  out  of  range,  a  dark  object  fleeing  with  in- 
credible swiftness  and  a  series  of  curious  boundings,  by 
which  its  body  was  thrown  clear  of  the  water  by  each 
impulse. 

"Oh  !"  exclaimed  Phil.  "That's  too  bad  !  What 
an  idiot  I  was  !" 

"Never  mind,  son,"  replied  Jalap  Coombs,  consoling- 
ly. "  Better  luck  next  time;  but  mind  and  don't  speak 
out  loud  again  till  your  seal's  in  the  boat." 

The  next  was  discovered  by  Phil  himself,  and,  hold- 
ing up  his  hand  warningly,  he  pointed  to  it.  It  lay  on 
the  surface  asleep,  and  ere  its  keen  sense  of  smell, 
which  in  a  seal  is  active  even  in  slumber,  warned  it  of 
the  presence  of  its  enemies,  they  were  within  range. 
As  it  finally  lifted  its  startled  head  a  sharp  report  rang 
out,  and  it  was  dead. 

"Quick,  Serge!"  shouted  the  mate.  "Row  to  it 
afore  it  sinks,  as  it  surely  will  unless  it  had  just  drawn 
in  a  breath."  The  animal  had  sunk  when  they  reached 
the  spot,  but  so  short  a  distance  that  the  body  could 
still  be  reached  by  the  gaff  and  drawn  into  the  boat. 


THE    FIRST    SEAL-HUNT  87 

Phil's  eyes  sparkled  as  he  gloated  over  this  his  first  seal, 
and  while  Serge  was  skinning  it  he  eagerly  searched 
for  another. 

The  next  one,  discovered  an  hour  later,  took  the 
alarm  before  they  got  within  shot-gun  range,  and 
bounded  away.  "He's  a  lucky  beggar!"  said  Jalap 
Coombs,  in  a  disgusted  tone;  but  Phil,  dropping  the 
useless  shot-gun  and  snatching  up  his  rifle,  took  a 
quick  aim  and  fired. 

"  The  very  prettiest  wing  shot  that  ever  I  see  !"  cried 
the  exulting  mate,  as  three  minutes  later  they  hauled 
the  dead  seal  into  the  boat.  "Plumb  through  the 
head,  too  !" 

So  with  varying  fortunes  the  day  wore  on  until  it 
was  time  to  return  to  the  schooner,  unless  they  wished 
to  remain  out  all  night.  In  the  boat  were  five  hand- 
some skins  and  one  seal,  just  killed,  that  still  retained 
its  glossy  coat.  Now  their  sole  anxiety  was  to  know 
whether  either  of  the  other  boats  had  beaten  them  or 
not.  The  mate  thought  they  were  "  high  line  "  for 
that  day,  but  Phil  was  doubtful. 


CHAPTER   XIV 
OVERBOARD    IN    THE    NORTH    PACIFIC 

As  the  mate's  boat  approached  the  Seamew  at  the  con- 
clusion of  that  first  day's  hunt,  its  occupants  saw  that 
the  other  two  boats  were  already  alongside,  and  that 
their  cargoes  were  being  transferred  to  the  schooner's 
deck. 

"They've  beaten  us,"  said  Phil,  despondently,  as 
he  noted  the  number  of  skins  being  handed  up  over 
the  side.  "  I  declare  luck  seems  to  be  dead  set  against 
me!" 

"If  you  only  hadn't  lost  the  tooth,"  murmured 
Serge. 

"  I'm  glad  I  have,"  replied  the  other,  sharply,  as  he 
caught  these  words.  "  I'm  glad  I  haven't  got  it  now, 
too,  because  there  is  no  such  thing  as  luck,  and  I'll 
prove  it  to  you  yet  by  getting  more  seals  than  both 
those  fellows  put  together,  even  without  any  wretched 
tooth  to  help  me." 

"I'm  sorry,  then,  that  I  ever  gave  it  to  you,"  retorted 
Serge,  angrily. 

"  So  am  I ;  and  after  this  I  hope  you  will  keep  your 
witch  charms  to  yourself." 

"  Hello,  for'ard  there !"  cried  Jalap  Coombs,  whose 
quick  ear  detected  the  angry  tones,  though  he  could  not 
distinguish  the  words  of  their  conversation.  "  What's 
to  pay  ?  You  two  aren't  quarrelling,  be  ye  ?  I  hope 
not,  for,  as  old  Kite  Roberson  uster  say,  l  Any  man  as 
will  quarrel  with  a  friend  don't  desarve  to  have  no 
friend.'  So  kiss  and  make  up,  same  as  the  little  lambs 


OVEKBOAKD   IN   THE    NORTH    PACIFIC  89 

does.  I  tell  ye,  lads,"  he  added,  earnestly,  "in  this 
'ere  onsartin  v'y'ge  of  life  the  wise  sailor-man  takes 
advantage  of  the  fair  breezes  and  smooth  waters  of 
friendship,  while  the  swabs  is  forever  bucking  agin  the 
cross-seas  and  head-winds  of  strife." 

Although  both  lads  heard  these  words  and  appre- 
ciated their  good  sense,  their  anger  still  so  rankled 
that  they  could  not  bring  themselves  to  act  upon  the 
mate's  advice.  So  as  their  boat  ranged  alongside  the 
schooner  they  sat  in  a  moody  silence,  and  it  rested 
with  Jalap  Coombs  to  reply  to  the  questioning  hails 
regarding  the  success  of  their  first  day's  hunt. 

"How  many  ye  got?"  shouted  Ike  Croly,  from  the 
deck. 

"  How  many  ye  got  yourself  ?"  queried  the  mate. 

"  I  got  eight,  and  Oro  he  got  seven,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Ye  done  well !  Mighty  well !  Them's  the  figgers 
we  'lowed  ye  was  making  by  counting  your  shots,  and 
as  we  didn't  want  to  make  ye  feel  bad  at  fust  start- off, 
we  only  brung  in  six  of  ourn.  We're  going  to  fetch 
along  the  rest  to-morrow,  though,  so  look  out  for  your- 
selves." 

So  Ike  Croly  was  "  high  line  "  for  that  day,  and  dur- 
ing the  rest  of  the  evening  he  showed  both  by  looks 
and  conversation  how  proud  he  was  of  the  honor,  and 
that  he  considered  himself  to  be  a  very  fine  fellow  in- 
deed. 

As  for  Phil,  he  was  not  only  humiliated  by  his  de- 
feat, but  heart-sore  over  his  quarrel  with  Serge.  How 
bitterly  he  repented  of  his  hasty  words  !  and  how 
gladly  would  he  recall  them  even  now  if  only  his 
wretched  pride  would  permit !  But  it  would  not, 
and  so  at  the  supper-table  he  sat  moody  and  silent, 
while  the  others  eagerly  discussed  the  events  of  the 
day. 

"  I  tell  ye,"  cried  Jalap  Coombs,  moved  to  do  a  little 


90  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

boasting  for  his  side  as  an  offset  to  that  of  Croly  and 
Dunn,  "  that  young  feller  " — here  he  nodded  in  Phil's 
direction — "has  made  the  best  fust  day's  record  of  any 
green  hand  at  the  business  I  ever  run  across." 

"I  might  think  so  too,"  growled  Captain  Duff,  "if 
it  hadn't  been  for  his  big  talk  about  how  he  could 
shoot  at  the  start-off.  As  it  is,  I  must  say  I  am  dis- 
appointed in  the  result." 

"  And  I  tell  ye,"  continued  Jalap  Coombs,  without 
paying  the  slightest  heed  to  this  interruption,  "he 
made  as  pretty  a  wing  shot  to-day  as  ever  I  see.  A 
clean  kill  at  more'n  two  hundred  yards,  nigher  two 
hundred  and  fifty,  with  the  seal  on  end,  jumping  like 
all  possessed,  and  tearing  along  like  a  blue  streak.  A 
man  might  live  to  be  a  thousand,  like  old  Jerusalem — 
Methusalem,  I  mean — and  never  see  a  neater  shot  in  all 
that  time.  Why,  I  couldn't  have  done  better  myself." 

As  it  was  a  notorious  fact  that  while  Jalap  Coombs 
was  a  capital  judge  of  shooting,  he  was  also  one  of  the 
very  worst  shots  in  the  world,  this  last  sally  raised 
such  a  laugh  at  his  expense  that  even  moody  Phil  was 
unable  to  resist  a  faint  smile.  It  was  quickly  over- 
clouded, however,  as  his  thoughts  reverted  to  Serge, 
and  he  was  glad  when,  the  meal  being  finished,  he  was 
at  liberty  to  go  on  deck. 

Here  a  busy  scene  was  being  enacted,  which  was  at 
tire  same  time  so  new  and  strange  to  Phil  that  he  could 
not  but  regard  it  with  interest.  By  the  light  of  the 
setting  sun  the  last  three  seals  shot  that  day  were 
being  stripped  of  the  precious  skins  for  the  sake  of 
which  they  had  been  compelled  to  yield  their  lives. 
The  three  most  expert  seal-skinners  of  the  crew,  one 
of  whom  was  Serge  Belcofsky,  were  engaged  in  a 
match  race  at  this  business.  Phil,  who,  having  had 
some  experience  in  skinning  deer  and  other  game, 
could  appreciate  the  difficulties  of  the  task,  watched 


OVEEBOAED   IN   THE   NOETH   PACIFIC  91 

with  amazement  the  ease  and  rapidity  with  which  his 
friend  worked. 

Serge  had  placed  the  body  of  his  seal  squarely  on 
its  back,  and  with  a  knife  sharpened  to  the  keenness 
of  a  razor  he  made  a  single  straight  cut  through  the 
skin  from  the  lower  jaw  along  the  neck,  chest,  and 
abdomen  to  the  root  of  the  tail.  Next  came  four 
swift  circular  cuts,  one  around  the  base  of  each  fore 
flipper,  one  around  the  extremity  of  the  body  at  the 
tail,  and  another  around  the  head  just  back  of  the 
jaws. 

The  skin  being  now  ready  for  removal,  Serge 
grasped  an  edge  of  it,  and  with  his  keen  blade  rapidly 
"  flensed"  it  or  cut  it  free  from  the  body,  which  he 
rolled  over  as  the  operation  proceeded,  until  he  liter- 
ally rolled  the  seal  out  of  its  skin.  After  this,  one  of 
the  crew  carried  the  skin  below,  and  laid  it,  hair  side 
down,  in  a  "kench,"  or  bin  constructed  for  the  purpose. 
Here  the  fleshy  sides  of  the  skins  are  covered  thickly 
with  salt,  and  they  are  left  in  that  condition  until  the 
end  of  the  voyage.  They  are  thus  thoroughly  pickled, 
and  will  keep  in  this  state  for  an  indefinite  length  of 
time. 

As  Serge  finished  his  task  nearly  half  a  minute  ahead 
of  his  most  expert  rival  in  this  peculiar  business,  the 
spectators  greeted  him  with  shouts  of  applause  and  a 
vigorous  hand-clapping.  The  young  Alaskan  acknowl- 
edged this  with  a  smile  and  a  bow,  but  at  the  same 
time  glanced  inquiringly  to  where  Phil  stood,  to  see 
if  he  were  joining  in  these  tokens  of  appreciation. 
But  the  young  seal-hunter  was  not  given  to  outward 
demonstrations  of  his  feelings,  and  though  his  heart 
was  peculiarly  warmed  towards  Serge  at  this  moment, 
and  he  longed  for  a  reconciliation,  he  could  not  bring 
himself  to  let  this  feeling  manifest  itself  before  others. 
So  he  stood  motionless  and  silent. 


92  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

Serge,  too,  was  longing  for  a  renewal  of  friendship 
with  the  one  of  all  his  companions  whom  he  most  ad- 
mired and  loved,  and  was  bitterly  disappointed  that 
Phil  should  give  no  sign  of  a  similar  desire.  More  to 
hide  the  expression  of  this  feeling  than  anything  else 
he  picked  up  the  body  of  the  seal  which  he  had  just 
finished,  and  bore  it  to  the  rail  with  the  intention  of 
throwing  it  overboard.  The  deck  was  slippery  with 
blood  and  blubber  oil,  and  Serge  was  not  just  then  in 
a  mood  to  exercise  caution.  He  was  thinking  of  Phil 
instead  of  what  he  was  doing.  As  a  consequence, 
when  he  lifted  the  seal  above  his  head  and  leaned  far 
over  the  rail  to  fling  it  from  him,  his  feet  slipped,  and 
in  an  instant  he  had  plunged  headforemost  into  the 
cold  waters. 

Phil  uttered  a  cry  of  horror  as  his  friend  thus  disap- 
peared from  view,  for  it  instantly  flashed  into  his  mind 
that,  like  most  natives  of  Alaska,  where  the  water  is 
too  cold  to  tempt  them  to  linger  in  its  icy  embrace, 
Serge  did  not  know  how  to  swim.  The  young  hunter 
was  so  prompt  to  act  that  even  as  he  cried  aloud  in  his 
distress  he  was  casting  aside  his  coat  and  kicking  off 
his  heavy  boots.  Then,  darting  aft,  he  sprang  on  the 
rail,  and  with  the  same  motion  flung  himself  into  the 
sea.  As  he  came  to  the  surface  he  caught  sight  of 
Serge  struggling  to  keep  his  head  above  water  but  a 
few  feet  from  him,  and  a  couple  of  strokes  took  him  to 
the  side  of  the  drowning  lad. 

"Rest  your  hands  on  my  shoulders,  old  man,"  he 
shouted,  "  and  I  can  support  you.  Don't  grab  me,  or 
you  will  drown  us  both." 

Half  choked,  blinded,  and  breathless  as  he  was, 
Serge  heard,  understood,  and  obeyed. 

By  treading  water,  and  at  the  same  time  paddling 
with  his  hands  as  a  dog  uses  his  fore -paws  in  swim- 
ming, Phil  managed  to  keep  both  his  own  head  and 


OVEKBOAKD    IN   THE    NOKTH    PACIFIC  93 

that  of  his  helpless  comrade  above  water.  It  required 
a  tremendous  effort,  however,  and  he  realized  that 
some  unnatural  weight  was  gradually  dragging  them 
down. 

"  Kick  off  your  boots,  Serge !"  he  cried. 

"I  can't,"  gasped  the  latter. 

"  You  must !  Unless  you  do  I  can't  hold  out  a  min- 
ute longer." 

Somehow  or  other  Serge  managed  to  obey  and  get 
rid  of  his  heavy  water-filled  sea-boots,  though  how  he 
did  it  he  never  could  tell.  Fortunately  they  were 
several  sizes  too  large  for  him,  a  fact  over  which  he 
had  previously  lamented. 

The  relief  from  their  weight  was  instant,  and  Phil 
felt  that  he  was  now  good  for  several  minutes  longer. 

"Can  you  see  the  schooner?"  he  asked. 

"No,"  answered  Serge,  who"  was  looking  in  the 
wrong  direction. 

"Look  again,  and  look  all  around." 

"  Yes,  yes  !"  screamed  the  other.  "  Here  she  is, 
right  on  top  of  us!  Look  out!  or  we  shall  be  run 
down." 


CHAPTER  XV 
PHIL   BECOMES   "HIGH 

JTJST  as  Serge  uttered  his  terrified  scream  at  the 
sight  of  what  he  believed  to  be  the  schooner  about  to 
run  them  down,  he  gave  a  lurch  to  one  side  that  sent 
him  clear  of  Phil  and  plunged  him  again  beneath  the 
surface.  The  swimmer  seized  him  by  the  collar,  and 
at  the  same  moment  was  struck  by  something  on  the 
opposite  side  that  he  instinctively  grasped.  It  was  an 
oar  belonging  to  the  boat  into  which  Jalap  Coombs 
had  slid  as  it  towed  astern  of  the  schooner,  and  cutting 
the  painter,  had  come  to  their  rescue.  As  from  his 
position  in  rowing  he  was  not  able  to  look  ahead,  he 
had  not  yet  seen  the  lads,  when  a  scream  from  under 
his  bows  warned  him  that  he  was  upon  them.  The 
boat  had  appeared  to  Serge  so  suddenly  and  unexpect- 
edly that  to  his  .bewildered  eyes  she  looked  as  big  as 
the  schooner,  and  he  believed  his  own  fate  and  Phil's 
to  be  sealed. 

It  did  not  take  the  chilled  and  dripping  lads  long  to 
scramble  into  the  boat,  for  though  they  were  so  numbed 
as  to  be  almost  helpless,  both  they  and  Jalap  Coombs 
were  such  experienced  boatmen  that  all  three  knew 
exactly  what  to  do.  Relieved  from  the  terrible  strain 
under  which  they  had  labored,  they  felt  so  weak  that 
they  would  gladly  have  lain  down  in  the  bottom  of 
the  boat ;  but  Jalap  Coombs  said  :  "  No  indeed,  ye'll 
do  nothing  of  the  kind.  Set  on  that  thwart,  each  take 
an  oar,  and  row  for  all  you're  wuth  to  keep  up  a  cir- 
kerlation  and  get  warm.  Ef  ye  don't,  I'll  have  to  turn 


PHIL    BECOMES    "HIGH    LINE5'  95 

to  and  give  ye  both  the  sound  thrashing  ye  desarve, 
though  I  was  brung  up  a  Quaker,  and  are  opposed  to 
fighting  on  gineral  principles." 

He  spoke  so  sternly  that  neither  of  them  dared  dis- 
obey him,  and  so  they  wearily  rowed  for  all  they  were 
worth,  which  was  very  little  indeed  just  then,  until  the 
returning  schooner  picked  them  up,  and  willing  hands 
outstretched  over  her  side  drew  them  once  more  into 
safety. 

In  the  meantime  the  lads,  whose  friendship  had  been 
sundered  for  a  little,  only  to  be  welded  more  firmly 
than  ever  by  the  death  struggle  they  had  just  shared, 
had  exchanged  a  few  broken  but  heartfelt  sentences  as 
they  sat  side  by  side  on  that  weary  thwart,  and  now  all 
was  again  well  with  them. 

Serge  had  said,  "Oh,  Phil!  I  shall  never  forgive 
myself  !"  And  the  latter  had  answered  :  "  You  don't 
have  to,  old  man.  If  you  will  only  forgive  me,  it  will 
be  more  than  enough."  After  that  the  mere  touching 
of  their  wet  shoulders  had  proved  comforting,  and 
given  assurance  of  a  friendship  that  neither  of  them 
believed  could  ever  again  be  broken. 

Youth  and  health  can  withstand  almost  anything, 
and  so  in  the  morning,  after  a  night  between  warm 
blankets,  the  lads  were  as  fit  as  ever  for  their  day's 
work.  As  they  started  out  in  their  boat  in  pursuit  of 
seals,  they  felt  none  the  worse  for  the  experience  of  the 
previous  evening,  which  was  already  become  a  memory, 
and  one  not  altogether  tinged  with  sadness.  In  fact, 
they  were  not  inclined  to  regard  their  adventure  half  so 
seriously  as  did  Jalap  Coombs.  He  said: 

"  Ef  it  hadn't  er  been  for  me  and  old  Kite  Roberson, 
the  Seamew  would  have  lost  two  of  her  best  hands." 

"  We  know  what  would  have  happened  if  it  had  not 
been  for  you,"  replied  Phil,  gratefully  ;  "  but  what  had 
Mr.  Robinson  to  do  with  it  ?" 


96  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"More'n  a  little,"  answered  the  mate,  shaking  his 
head  and  gazing  into  the  remote  distance,  as  he  always 
did  when  referring  to  his  late  but  still  venerated  friend. 
"  Old  Kite  uster  say :  *  When  two  friends  has  quarrelled, 
and  is  trying  to  make  up  without  knowing  jest  how 
to  do  it,  then  watch  'em,  for  they  ain't  responserble  for 
their  acts.'  Remembering  this  as  I  did,  I  naturally  felt 
it  my  dooty  to  keep  an  eye  on  you  two  last  evening, 
though  it  war  my  watch  below,  and  some  would  have 
said  I  hadn't  no  call  to  be  on  deck.  Says  I  to  myself, 
'  There's  no  knowing  what  they'll  do.'  Sure  enough 
when  I  seed  fust  one  plump  overboard  and  then  t'other, 
I  knowed  why  I  had  been  called,  and  acted  according. 
S-s-t  !  there's  a  holluschickie  [young  male  seal]  now  !" 

As  the  fur-seal  when  sleeping  in  the  water  lies  on  his 
back  with  his  fore-flippers  folded  on  his  breast,  and  as, 
when  in  this  position  only  his  nose  and  the  heels  of  his 
hind-flippers  are  exposed  to  view,  it  would  be  hard  to 
say  how  even  Jalap  Coombs's  practised  eye  could  dis- 
tinguish a  holluschickie,  or  bachelor  seal,  from  a  female, 
or  even  from  a  seecatch  or  old  bull.  His  assertion  was 
proved  true,  however,  when  this  one  was  hauled  into 
the  boat,  after  a  capital  shot  by  Phil,  and  after  Serge's 
powerful  strokes  had  taken  them  so  quickly  to  the 
spot  that  the  sinking  body  could  be  gaffed. 

Phil  was  glad  of  this,  for  he  hated  to  kill  female 
seals,  such  a  proceeding  not  being  at  all  in  accordance 
with  his  sportsmanlike  instincts  or  training.  He  was 
often  obliged  to  do  this,  however,  for  the  pelagic  sealer 
must  shoot  quickly  if  he  is  to  shoot  successfully,  and 
without  pausing  to  discover,  even  if  such  a  thing  were 
possible,  whether  he  is  firing  at  a  yearling  pup,  a  bache- 
lor, a  female,  or  an  "  old  wig,"  as  the  seecatchie  or  vet- 
eran bulls  are  called,  on  account  of  a  patch  of  white 
hair  on  their  shoulders. 

As  Jalap  Coombs  philosophically  remarked,  "They 


PHIL    BECOMES    "HIGH    LINE"  97 

all  count  in  the  day's  catch,  and  numbers,  not  quality, 
is  what  we  open- water  fellows  is  after." 

The  crew  of  the  mate's  boat  worked  so  well  on  this 
day,  Phil  shot  with  such  quickness  and  precision,  Serge 
rowed  with  such  energy,  and  Jalap  Coombs  steered  to 
such  a  nicety  within  range  of  the  shy  animals  after 
they  were  once  sighted,  that  before  night  a  well-earned 
success  had  rewarded  their  efforts,  and  their  boat  was 
heavily  laden  with  seal-skins. 

Besides  those  they  secured,  many  seals  were  shot  at 
and  missed,  some  were  wounded  and  escaped,  and  still 
others  sank  beyond  reach  after  being  killed.  Most  of 
Phil's  shots  were  made  at  mere  black  points  that  ap- 
peared but  for  a  moment  on  this  side  or  that  as  the 
seals  came  to  the  surface  for  a  breath  of  air,  only  to 
dive  again  almost  immediately.  The  whole  body  was 
rarely  seen,  save  when  the  seal*  were  at  play,  when 
they  would  spring  clear  of  the  water  with  graceful 
leaps,  like  so  many  salmon.  At  other  times  they  swam 
a  few  feet  beneath  the  surface  with  marvellous  swift- 
ness, and  if  one  were  noted  as  he  came  up  for  breath, 
he  was  too  far  away  to  be  seen  when  forced  to  do  so  a 
second  time. 

With  all  these  difficulties  to  contend  against,  the 
securing  of  twenty  seals  by  a  single  boat  was  consid- 
ered by  Jalap  Coombs  a  capital  day's  work,  and  as 
they  approached  the  Seamew  at  sunset  the  heart  of  the 
young  hunter  beat  high  with  the  hope  that  he  had  at 
length  scored  more  points  than  either  of  his  rivals. 
Nor  was  he  disappointed,  though,  when  a  dozen  skins 
had  been  sent  aboard,  and  no  more  were  seen  in  the 
boat,  a  derisive  laugh  was  heard  from  the  schooner's 
deck.  When,  however,  Jalap  Coombs  began  to  band 
out  the  rest  of  the  skins,  which  he  had  purposely  hid- 
den beneath  the  sail,  this  laugh  was  not  only  silenced, 
but  was  changed  into  exclamations  of  astonishment. 


98  THE    FUR-SEAL'S    TOOTH 

Oro  Dunn  had  brought  in  eighteen  skins,  and  had 
boastfully  declared  that  he  was  "  high  line  "  for  the  day, 
as  no  young  sport  from  the  East  was  likely  to  beat  that 
score,  or  even  come  anywhere  near  it.  When  Phil's 
twenty  skins  were  counted  out,  Mr.  Dunn  retired  to  the 
cabin  as  crestfallen  a  seal-hunter  as  sailed  the  Pacific  at 
that  moment,  and  muttering  unpleasant  things  about 
some  people's  luck. 

Serge  said  he  ought  to  add  "  Brown  "  to  his  name. 

Jalap  Coombs  was  triumphant.  At  the  supper-table 
he  boasted  so  tremendously  of  his  protege's  shooting, 
that  although  Phil  could  not  entirely  repress  his  hap- 
py smiles,  he  was  forced  to  remain  as  silent  as  on  the 
previous  evening.  Even  Captain  Duff  congratulated 
him  in  his  own  rough  way,  and  said  that  if  this  thing 
were  kept  up  he  would  soon  be  obliged  to  allow  his 
youngest  hunter  the  same  commission  as  the  others. 

At  the  same  time  Serge  was  the  hero  of  the  fore- 
castle, where  the  mate's  crew,  and  Phil  in  particular, 
were  praised  to  the  full  content  of  the  young  boat- 
puller. 

For  ten  days  longer  this  exciting  business  of  seal- 
hunting  on  the  high  seas  was  continued,  with  varying 
success  and  in  all  kinds  of  weather.  Occasionally  a 
day,  or  at  least  part  of  one,  would  be  fair  and  bright, 
but  more  often  the  sun  was  hidden  by  fog -banks  or 
low-hanging  clouds,  while  snarling  squalls  of  wind  and 
rain  swept  above  the  sullen  waters.  Once  the  sea  was 
lashed  into  fury  for  twenty-four  hours  by  so  fierce  a 
gale  that  the  brave  little  schooner,  hove  to  under  a 
tiny  storm  try-sail  and  the  merest  corner  of  her  jib, 
was  taxed  to  her  utmost  to  ride  it  out. 

By  the  time  that  several  hundred  skins,  of  which  a 
full  third  were  credited  to  Phil's  gun,  were  safely  salted 
away  in  the  kenches,  the  seals  suddenly  disappeared. 
Jalap  Coombs  said  that  the  schooner  must  be  within 


PHIL    BECOMES    "HIGH    LINE"  99 

one  hundred  miles  or  so  of  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and 
that  the  game  they  had  followed  so  far  had  doubtless 
passed  through  them  into  Bering  Sea,  where  the  re- 
united seal  herds  were  by  this  time  "  hauling  out "  on 
the  Pribyloff  Islands. 

"  How  I  should  love  to  see  them  there  !"  "exclaimed 
Phil. 

"  Well,  you're  not  likely  to  have  a  chance  on  this 
v'y'ge,"  answered  Jalap  Coombs,  "  and  if  ye  did,  ye'd 
be  a  long  ways  further  from  Sitka  than  ye  be  now." 

This  set  the  young  hunter  to  thinking  seriously  of 
his  original  purpose  in  taking  this  cruise.  Of  course 
he  had  often  thought  of  it  before,  though  not  very 
seriously;  but  now  he  began  to  watch  anxiously  for 
the  promised  vessel,  to  which  he  and  Serge  might  be 
transferred  with  a  view  to  reaching  their  desired  des- 
tination. Once  he  ventured  to'mention  the  subject  to 
Captain  Duff,  only  to  receive  the  gruff  reply  : 

"  Ye  don't  suppose  I'm  going  hunting  schooners  just 
to  set  you  aboard  of,  do  ye  ?  When  we  happen  to 
hail  one,  I'll  see.  Meantime  you  can  keep  right  on 
earning  the  money  I've  already  laid  out  on  ye,  besides 
what's  due  for  your  passage." 

As  at  the  lowest  estimate  Phil  had  already  earned 
several  hundred  dollars,  of  which  he  was  not  to  see 
one  cent,  he  considered  that  his  account  with  Cap- 
tain Duff  was  more  than  balanced,  which  belief  was 
equally  shared  by  Serge. 

One  morning  soon  after  this  Phil  was  surprised  to 
find  the  Seamew  at  anchor.  He  looked  eagerly  about 
for  signs  of  land,  but  none  were  to  be  seen.  "  Where 
are  we?  and  what  are  we  anchored  here  for?"  he 
asked  of  Jalap  Coombs,  who  happened  to  be  on  deck 
at  the  time. 

"Outer  edge  of  the  Shumagin  Banks,  and  I  s'pose 
we're  here  to  fish,"  was  the  brief  answer. 


100  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

They  evidently  were  there  to  fish,  and  all  hands 
were  set  at  it  as  soon  as  breakfast  was  over.  With 
bits  of  seal  blubber  for  bait,  they  hauled  in  cod  as 
fast  as  they  pleased.  Very  soon  a  portion  of  the  crew 
were  told  off  to  split  and  salt  these,  while  the  rest  con- 
tinued to  add  to  the  catch.  By  nightfall  a  sufficient 
number  of  fine  large  fish  to  suit  Captain  Duff's  pur- 
pose had  been  caught,  split,  and  salted  away  on  top  of 
the  seal  -  skins  already  packed  in  the  kenches  below- 
deck.  His  desire  for  the  valuable  furs  had  only  been 
increased  by  the  successful  issue  of  his  voyage  up  to 
this  time,  and  he  had  determined  upon  a  bold  move 
that  would  secure  him  as  many  more  seal-skins  as  he 
already  had  if  it  could  be  successfully  carried  out. 
He  did  not  disclose  his  intentions  even  to  his  mate, 
but  merely  ordered  the  anchor  up  at  the  conclusion  of 
that  day  of  fishing,  and  laid  a  course  to  the  westward. 


CHAPTER  XVI 
A    VENTURE    INTO    FORBIDDEN    WATERS 

ON  the  morning  following  that  of  the  day  of  fishing 
the  Seamew  was  skirting  a  wild-looking  coast,  against 
the  bald  headlands  of  which  the  huge  blue  billows  of 
the  Pacific  thundered  with  a  ceaseless  roar.  The  scene 
was  one  of  awful  grandeur  and  desolation,  though  not 
of  utter  solitude,  for  though  no  sign  of  human  life  was 
visible,  sea-lions  disported  in  the  tumultuous  breakers, 
huge  whales  rolled  lazily  on  the  long  swells,  and  myr- 
iads of  sea-fowl  circled  with  harsh  cries  above  the  pre- 
cipitous rocks.  Above  all  towered  the  symmetrical 
snow-capped  peak  of  a  lofty  mountain,  from  the  sum- 
mit of  which  a  thin  banner  of  smoke  trailed  to  lee- 
ward. It  was  Shishaldin,  the  most  beautiful  peak  of 
all  the  Aleutian  Islands,  and  as  it  was  the  first  volcano 
Phil  Ryder  had  ever  seen,  he  gazed  upon  it  with  de- 
light and  wonder.  The  forbidding  coast  they  were 
skirting,  and  which  was  Phil's  first  bit  of  Alaska,  was 
the  south  side  of  the  island  of  Oonimak,  one  of  the 
largest  of  the  entire  Aleutian  chain,  and  also  the  only 
one  of  any  size  absolutely  without  inhabitants. 

After  a  while  the  schooner  reached  the  western  ex- 
tremity of  this  inhospitable  island,  and  turning  into 
the  broad  channel  of  the  Oonimak  Pass,  was  soon 
breasting  the  green  waters  of  Bering  Sea.  Here  her 
course  was  again  altered,  so  that  she  now  followed  the 
northern  coast  of  the  island,  and  was  headed  towards 
its  upper  or  eastern  end.  This  shore  was  much  less 
abrupt  than  the  other,  and  broad  levels  of  mossy  tun- 


102  THE  F ITU-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

dra:brcken  by -foot-bills  stretched  away  to  the  moun- 
tains that  had  risen  so  sheer  from  the  Pacific  side. 

At  length  towards  evening  anchor  was  dropped  in 
a  small,  well-sheltered  bay  at  the  extreme  eastern  end 
of  the  island,  and  Captain  Duff  caused  himself  to  be 
rowed  ashore.  In  a  short  time  he  returned,  and  to 
the  surprise  of  all  hands  informed  his  crew  that  he 
wished  his  cargo  of  seal-skins  broken  out  at  once  and 
transferred  to  a  place  on  shore  that  he  would  point  out. 

So  actively  was  this  job  of  night-work  carried  for- 
ward, that  before  morning  every  seal  -  skin  had  been 
taken  from  the  schooner,  carried  ashore,  and  safely 
salted  away  in  a  kench  constructed  within  the  ruins  of 
an  old  stone  hut.  This  was  but  one  of  a  number  still 
standing,  which  showed  that  at  some  previous  time 
Oonimak  Island  had  supported  at  least  one  populous 
village. 

This  mysterious  proceeding  having  been  carried  out 
to  Captain  Duff's  satisfaction,  and  only  a  scanty  cargo 
of  salted  cod-fish  left  in  his  vessel's  hold,  her  anchor 
was  again  lifted,  and  she  was  headed  northward  into 
the  fog-hidden  regions  of  Bering  Sea.  In  these  for- 
bidden waters  any  vessel  was  liable  at  any  time  to  be 
overhauled  by  some  American  revenue-cutter  or  Brit- 
ish man  -  of  -  war,  and  subjected  to  an  examination.  If 
seal-skins  were  found  on  board  she  was  seized  and  sent 
to  some  distant  port,  from  which  there  was  no  chance 
of  escape,  and  where  her  crew  were  detained  as  pris- 
oners until  such  time  as  their  case  might  be  tried  be- 
fore the  proper  authorities. 

The  strange  proceeding  of  the  Seamen? s  master  in 
discharging  his  cargo  on  a  desolate  island,  carefully 
concealing  it  there,  and  then  venturing  into  the  forbid- 
den waters,  drew  forth  many  eager  and  curious  com- 
ments from  his  crew,  all  of  whom  wondered  what  the 
next  act  on  the  programme  would  be.  None,  however, 


A    VENTURE    INTO    FORBIDDEN    WATERS  103 

dared  question  the  schooner's  autocrat,  for,  as  though 
well  aware  of  their  desire  to  do  so,  he  became  more  of 
a  bully  than  ever,  and  so  roared  and  bellowed  and 
snarled  at  every  one  and  everything  as  to  make  all 
hands  anxious  to  keep  as  far  from  him  as  possible. 

None  discussed  the  situation  more  earnestly  than 
did  Phil  and  Serge  whenever  they  could  get  together 
beyond  the  captain's  range  of  observation,  for  they 
were  well  aware  that  every  mile  of  progress  in  this 
new  direction  found  them  just  so  much  farther  away 
from  Sitka,  as  well  as  from  the  track  of  vessels  bound 
for  that  port. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  old  man,"  Phil  remarked,  on  one 
of  these  occasions,  "  while  I  don't  know  where  we  are 
bound  or  when  we  will  get  there,  it  seems  to  me  that 
shipping  on  board  this  schooner  was  a  mighty  poor 
move  on  my  part.  I  might  have  known  that  I  would 
never  get  to  Sitka  this  way,  if  I  had  only  stopped  to 
think.  But  I  didn't,  and  I  don't  suppose  I  ever  shall 
until  it  is  too  late  for  thinking  to  do  any  good." 

"  What  worries  me  most,"  responded  Serge,  "  is  that 
it  was  I  who  proposed  the  plan." 

"Now  don't  you  fret  about  that.  You  only  did 
what  you  thought  was  for  the  best,  and,  after  all,  I 
don't  know  but  it  is  just  as  well  that  I  came  on  this 
cruise.  I  should  have  been  certain  to  get  into  some 
other  scrape  equally  bad,  if  not  worse,  if  I  hadn't. 
Why,  when  I  recall  that  one  of  the  only  two  nights  I 
ever  spent  in  Victoria  was  passed  in  a  police-station,  I 
tremble  to  think  what  might  have  happened  if  I  had 
been  left  there  for  two  whole  weeks.  I  should  really 
be  enjoying  this  trip,  too,  if  it  wasn't  for  thinking  of 
my  poor  father.  He  surely  must  be  in  a  state  of  mind 
by  this  time.  At  any  rate,  I  am  seeing  something  of 
Alaska,  or  rather  of  its  fogs  and  waters,  and  that  is 
what  I  came  out  West  for,  you  know." 


104  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  Yes,"  said  Serge,  anxious  to  encourage  this  brighter 
view  of  the  situation,  "and  you  are  making  a  splendid 
reputation  for  yourself  as  a  seal-hunter.  Why,  after 
this  trip,  if  you  want  it,  you  can  get  a  job  any  time  at 
the  very  highest  rates  going.  I  tell  you  what !  If  I 
could  only  shoot  as  you  can,  I  should  feel  fixed  for 
life." 

"But  I  sha'n't  ever  want  any  such  job  again,"  re- 
plied Phil.  "  To  tell  the  truth,  I  am  getting  awfully 
sick  of  this  killing  business.  It  was  exciting  at  first, 
but  the  keeping  it  up  day  after  day  is  horrid.  One 
might  as  well  turn  butcher  at  once,  and  be  done 
with  it." 

"  Oh!"  said  Serge,  with  a  puzzled  air,  as  though  this 
sentiment  were  beyond  his  comprehension.  "  If  you 
look  at  it  that  way — " 

"  Well,  I  do !"  interrupted  Phil,  "  and  I  hope  I  shall 
never  be  called  upon  to  shoot  another  seal." 

The  reason  why  Serge  was  unable  to  regard  the  busi- 
iness  of  killing  animals,  whose  skins  represented  money, 
in  the  same  light  that  Phil  did  was  because  of  the  vast- 
ly different  surroundings  amid  which  he  had  been 
brought  up.  The  most  important  industries  of  the 
great  territory  that  claimed  him  as  a  son  are  hunting, 
fur -trading,  and  fishing.  In  fact,  these  and  a  little 
mining  were  the  only  business  pursuits  of  which  he 
had  known  anything  until  he  started  on  his  long  voy- 
age to  the  Atlantic  coast.  Thus  from  his  earliest  child- 
hood he  had  been  brought  up  to  believe  that  fur-bear- 
ing animals  were  to  be  killed  wherever  found,  and  to 
regard  a  successful  hunter  with  the  same  respect  that 
Phil  would  accord  to  a  successful  banker  or  lawyer. 

Thus  we  find  individuals,  communities,  and  even  na- 
tions, regarding  the  same  things  from  entirely  differ- 
ent points  of  view  according  as  they  have  been  edu- 
cated. Each  honestly  believes  himself  or  itself  to  be 


A    VENTURE    INTO    FORBIDDEN    WATERS  105 

in  the  right,  and  that  all  others  must  be  wrong.  In 
this  manner  arise  differences  of  opinion  that  sometimes 
lead  to  strife.  Wherefore  let  us  try  to  look  at  all 
things  from  our  neighbor's  point  of  view  before  con- 
cluding to  differ  with  him  concerning  them. 

The  foregoing  paragraph  is  a  sermon,  and  though  it 
is  a  very  tiny  one,  it  ought  to  apologize  for  intruding 
itself  into  a  story.  I  am  afraid,  though,  that,  like  many 
other  sermons  we  are  all  acquainted  with,  it  is  so 
puffed  up  with  its  own  conceit  that  it  will  do  nothing 
of  the  kind. 

So  while  Phil  Ryder  had  arrived  at  the  conclusion 
that  the  business  of  killing  seals  was  one  that  no  self- 
respecting  hunter  who  also  claimed  to  be  a  sportsman 
could  follow,  Serge  Belcofsky  regarded  it  as  a  most 
eminently  respectable  occupation,  in  which  opinions 
both  lads  were  right. 

.  In  the  meantime,  while  these  discussions  were  going 
x  on  in  forecastle  and  on  deck,  the  Seamew  flew  north- 
ward for  a  day  and  a  night.  It  was  generally  believed 
that  she  was  in  search  of  some  new  fishing-ground, 
for,  as  all  hands  knew,  Bering  Sea  is  one  of  the  best- 
stocked  fish-preserves  in  the  world,  and  contains  a  sup- 
ply of  food  fishes  sufficient  for  the  feeding  of  all  the 
people  in  the  world. 

It  is  one  of  the  very  foggiest  places  in  the  world 
also,  being  even  more  foggy  than  the  Bay  of  Fundy, 
and  for  the  same  reason,  which  is  warm  water  and  cold 
air.  As  the  warm  waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream  enter 
the  Bay  of  Fundy,  so  the  warm  waters  of  the  great 
Japan  current  enter  Bering  Sea.  In  both  places  they 
meet  waves  of  cold  arctic  air,  by  which  evaporation 
is  condensed  into  fog.  If  the  air  were  as  warm  as 
or  warmer  than  the  water  there  would  be  no  fog,  as  is 
the  case  in  the  tropics;  but  when  warm  water  and  cold 
air  meet  fog  is  the  result. 


106  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

The  steam  that  we  see  issuing  from  the  spout  of  a 
teakettle  as  it  sits  on  top  of  a  stove  is  nothing  more 
nor  less  than  fog.  It  is  the  vapor  rising  from  the  hot 
water  in  the  kettle  condensed  by  the  much  cooler  air 
outside.  If  the  outer  air  were  as  hot  as  that  inside  the 
kettle  we  would  see  no  steam,  though  the  invisible  va- 
por would  be  passing  from  the  spout  just  the  same. 
To  prove  this  it  is  only  necessary  to  set  the  teakettle 
in  the  oven. 

Thus  Bering  Sea  is  always  foggy  during  the  summer 
months,  when  its  waters  are  warmer  than  its  air,  and 
that  is  one  reason  why  the  fur-seal,  who  dearly  loves 
cool  wet  weather  and  foggy  days,  finds  in  it  a  conge- 
nial home  and  makes  it  his  summer  resort.  Another 
reason  is  that  these  waters  so  abound  in  fish  that  form 
the  seal's  chief  food,  and  to  procure  which  he  thinks 
nothing  of  swimming  one  hundred  or  more  miles  in  a 
day  from  his  rookeries  on  the  Pribyloff  Islands. 

Although  seals  can  exist  for  a  long  time  without 
food,  they  must  eat  sooner  or  later.  So  the  mother 
seal,  having  stayed  on  one  of  the  islands  with  her  pup 
until  she  is  very  hungry,  will  leave  him  gorged  with 
milk  sufficient  to  nourish  him  during  her  absence,  and 
set  forth  on  long  fishing  expeditions  that  may  extend 
over  two  or  even  three  days.  When  she  returns  she 
finds  her  own  little  one  amid  thousands  of  others  that 
look  exactly  like  him,  just  as  surely  as  a  human  mother 
would  select  her  own  baby  from  a  roomful.  So  anx- 
ious is  the  mother  that  her  pup  shall  have  enough  food 
to  make  him  grow  into  a  strong,  beautiful  holluschickie 
that  she  will  nurse  none  but  him.  Thus  if  she  did  not 
return  from  her  long  journey  in  search  of  food  he 
would  surely  die  of  starvation,  as  all  the  other  seal- 
mothers  would  be  too  busy  supplying  the  wants  of 
their  own  little  ones  to  care  for  him. 


CHAPTER   XVII 
CRUEL   KILLING    OF    MOTHER-SEALS 

IT  was  because  Captain  Duff  wanted  more  seal-skins, 
and  because  the  seals  insisted  in  resorting  to  Bering 
Sea,  that  he  had  taken  the  Seamew  into  those  waters. 
He  knew  that  thd  Pribyloff  seals,  in  vast  numbers, 
roamed  far  and  wide  in  search  of  food ;  he  knew  that 
here  they  were  less  shy  and  more  easily  secured  than 
elsewhere,  and  he  believed  that,  hidden  by  the  preva- 
lent and  friendly  fogs,  his  swift  little  schooner  could 
escape  the  vigilance  of  meddlesome  patrol  boats.  Of 
course  he  ran  the  risk  of  losing  his  vessel  by  taking 
her  into  the  forbidden  waters  for  this  purpose,  and  of 
course  he  was  disobeying  a  law  in  so  doing.  Captain 
Duff  was  willing  to  run  the  risk,  however,  and  as  for 
laws — while  he  entertained  a  great  respect  for  those 
that  protected  his  interests,  he  had  little  regard  for 
such  as  interfered  with  his  schemes  for  money-getting. 
So,  having  hidden  the  seal-skins  already  secured  in  a 
place  from  which  he,  or  those  whom  he  might  send, 
could  reclaim  them  at  some  future  time,  and  having 
provided  himself  with  a  supply  of  salted  codfish,  be- 
neath which  the  skins  that  he  now  hoped  to  obtain 
might  be  concealed,  foxy  Captain  Duff  headed  the  Sea- 
mew  into  Bering  Sea,  and  sailed  her  for  a  day  and  a 
night  towards  the  seal-haunted  Pribyloff  Islands. 

Only  he  of  all  on  board  knew  whither  she  was  being 
taken  ;  or  if  Jalap  Coombs  suspected,  he  shrewdly 
kept  his  own  counsel,  as  is  always  best  for  mates  to 
do  unless  their  advice  is  asked.  He  had  become  so 


108 

strangely  taciturn  during  the  last  two  days,  that  even 
his  boys,  as  he  called  Phil  and  Serge,  could  extract  no 
information  from  him. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  second  day  the  Seamew 
was  hove  to.  With  the  first  light  the  hunters  were 
ordered  into  their  boats,  and  sent  in  pursuit  of  the 
schools  of  seals  that  surrounded  the  schooner  in  every 
direction,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  through  the 
drifting  fog.  These  were  darting,  diving,  leaping 
high  in  air,  gambolling  with  all  the  playfulness  of 
kittens,  and  showing  themselves  by  every  movement 
to  be  the  swiftest  of  swimmers,  and  the  most  graceful 
of  marine  animals. 

Although  Phil  Ryder  was  not  prepared  for  a  flat 
disobedience  of  orders,  he  still  moved  towards  the 
boat  with  such  evident  reluctance  as  to  attract  the 
captain's  notice. 

"I  shall  pay  you  the  same  commission  as  the  other 
hunters  for  this  day's  work,  Ryder,"  said  Captain 
Duff,  a  day  or  two  later,  when  the  Seamew  was  well 
into  Bering  Sea,  "  and  the  hunter  making  the  biggest 
score  to-day  will  get  a  ten-dollar  bonus.  The  same 
will  be  given  to  the  steersman  of  his  boat,  and  half  as 
much  to  his  boat-puller." 

"  Hurrah  for  Captain  Duff  !"  yelled  Oro  Dunn.  "That 
bonus  has  got  to  come  to  my  boat,  or  I'm  no  shot." 

" Don't  ye  be  too  sure  of  that!"  shouted  Ike  Croly, 
whose  boat  had  pushed  off.  "  I've  already  laid  out  to 
spend  that  money  myself." 

"  Oh,  you  have,  have  you  ?"  muttered  Phil,  with  all 
the  old  pride  in  his  reputation  as  a  crack  shot  fully 
aroused.  "Perhaps  you'd  better  not  spend  it  until 
you  get  it,  though." 

"Come  back  to  the  schooner  with  each  dozen  that 
ye  get,  and  we'll  take  care  of  'em  here,"  was  Captain 
Duff's  parting  instruction  as  the  boats  put  off. 


CKUEL    KILLING    OF   MOTHER-SEALS  109 

Never  had  Phil  imagined  that  so  many  seals  existed 
as  he  saw  that  day,  nor  did  it  seem  possible  that  these 
could  be  the  same  shy  creatures  he  had  encountered  in 
the  North  Pacific.  In  the  excitement  of  making  a 
score  he  forgot  all  that  he  had  said  about  seal-killing 
being  butchery,  and  fired  at  every  mark  with  the  reck- 
less ardor  of  an  enthusiastic  sportsman. 

Five  times  during  that  day  of  slaughter  did  the 
mate's  boat  return  to  the  schooner,  and  each  time  she 
bore  a  dozen  seals.  On  the  last  return  trip  she  was 
laden  to  the  gunwales  with  a  dozen  and  two  more. 

"Never  in  all  my  experience  did  I  see  sich  a  day's 
haul  of  seals  !"  exclaimed  Jalap  Coombs.  "  And  I 
only  wish  my  friend,  old  Kite  Roberson,  war  here  to 
see  what  a  Yankee  boy  kin  do  with  a  pop-gun." 

"  I'm  glad  he  isn't,"  replied  Phil,  who,  weary  and 
aching  all  over,  was  beginning  to  feel  ashamed  of  and 
disgusted  with  his  day  of  killing. 

As  he  clambered  up  over  the  schooner's  side  he 
caught  sight  of  something  that  caused  him  to  start 
back -as  though  he  had  been  struck.  On  the  deck, 
mingled  with  blood  and  blubber,  was  a  white  fluid 
that  ran  to  the  scuppers  and  trickled  from  them  in 
streams. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  demanded  Phil,  hoarsely,  of  one  of 
the  crew,  who  was  busily  skinning  a  seal.  As  he  asked 
the  question  he  pointed  a  trembling  finger  to  a  pool  of 
the  white  fluid. 

"  That !"  answered  the  man,  indifferently.  "  Why, 
that's  milk  from  the  cows  you  fellows  have  been  bring- 
ing in  to-day." 

"  Cows  !  Do  you  mean  seal-mothers  ?  Where  are 
their  young  ?" 

"  What  !  the  pups  ?  Back  on  the  rookeries,  of 
course." 

"And  what  will  become  of  them?" 


110  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  Oh,  I  don't  know.  I  suppose  they'll  die  after  a 
while.  But  what  ails  you  ?  Be  you  sick  ?"  With  this 
the  man  paused  for  a  moment  in  his  work  and  gazed 
curiously  at  Phil's  pale  face. 

"Sick!  Yes,  I  am  sick  at  heart!"  cried  the  con- 
science -  stricken  lad,  before  whose  mental  vision  was 
flashing  a  vivid  picture  of  the  helpless  and  starving 
pups  whose  mothers  he  had  slaughtered  that  day. 
He  seemed  to  hear  their  pitiful  little  voices  growing 
weaker  and  weaker  with  each  hour  as  they  called  in 
vain  for  those  who  would  never  return  to  them.  He 
seemed  to  see  them  dying,  after  days  of  suffering,  and 
for  a  moment  he  felt  all  the  horror  that  comes  to  him 
who  has  committed  a  murder. 

He  was  restored  to  his  surroundings  by  Captain 
Duff's  loud  voice  calling  out :  "  Hello,  Ryder !  Here's 
your  bonus;  for  you're  high  line  to-day.  If  ye'll  only 
do  as  well  to-morrow  and  the  day  after,  I'll  promise  to 
start  ye  for  Sitka  by  steamer  afore  the  wreck's  out." 

Thus  saying,  the  speaker  extended  towards  the  lad  the 
reward  he  had  promised  for  that  day's  butchery — a 
ten-dollar  gold  piece. 

With  a  cry  of  rage  and  a  savage  motion  Phil 
snatched  the  glittering  coin,  and  with  all  his  might 
flung  it  from  him  into  the  sea.  Then  confronting  the 
amazed  man  with  blazing  eyes  and  a  wrathful  voice, 
he  almost  screamed:  "Did  you  think  I  would  take 
your  blood-money?  I've  sunk  as  low  as  murder,  I 
know,  but  not  so  low  as  to  take  pay  for  it  !  And 
bad  as  I  am,  you  are  a  thousand  times  worse,  for  I  did 
not  know  what  I  was  doing,  while  you  knew  all  the 
time  and  urged  me  on.  But  never,  so  long  as  I  live, 
will  I  take  the  life  of  another  of  those  harmless  creat- 
ures. Never !  never !" 

"  What  ever  does  the  boy  mean  ?  Has  he  lost  his 
senses  and  gone  mad  ?"  cried  the  captain,  in  bewilder- 


CRUEL    KILLING    OF    MOTHER-SEALS  111 

ment,  at  the  same  time  retreating  a  step,  as  though 
fearful  that  Phil  was  about  to  spring  at  him. 

At  that  moment  came  a  startling  interruption  of  this 
tragic  scene.  It  was  the  deep  boom  of  a  heavy  gun,  ev- 
idently fired  from  a  considerable  distance  to  windward. 

Instantly  all  eyes  were  turned  in  that  direction, 
where  through  the  twilight  was  still  distinctly  to  be 
seen  a  white  steamer,  with  a  cloud  of  black  smoke 
pouring  from  her  yellow  funnel,  and  headed  in  their 
direction. 

The  exclamation  of  "A  cutter !"  was  heard  from  a 
dozen  lips  at  once,  and,  sure  enough,  it  was  one  of  those 
handy  little  government  cruisers  that  are  so  dreaded 
by  evil-doers,  and  afford  so  great  a  protection  to  hon- 
est sailors.  She  had  fired  a  blank  shot  from  her  single 
gun  as  a  command  for  the  Seameio  to  lie  to  and  await 
her  coming.  ^ 

The  schooner  was  under  way,  arid  running  down  the 
wind  to  the  eastward  under  easy  sail.  Captain  Duff 
could  not  afford  to  be  caught  thus,  red-handed  as  it 
were,  with  the  bodies  of  recently- killed  seals  on  his 
deck,  and  the  green  hides  of  others  still  unstowed. 
The  steamer  was  yet  a  mile  away.  The  Seamew  was 
remarkably  fast  in  a  moderate  breeze  and  smooth 
water,  and  night  was  coming  on.  He  could  at  least 
gain  time  enough  to  conceal  his  illegal  freight  and  to 
transform  his  vessel,  to  all  outward  appearance,  into  an 
ordinary  fisherman.  He  might  possibly  escape  entirely, 
and  the  chance  was  worth  taking. 

"  Bring  her  on  the  wind  !"  he  shouted  to  the  man  at 
the  wheel.  "  Trim  in  !  trim  in  !  Up  with  your  main- 
topsail,  flying- jib,  and  jib-topsail !  Lively,  lads !  lively  ! 
Drop  everything  else,  and  get  sail  on  to  her  !  Mr. 
Coombs,  break  out  the  main-stay  sail  and  set  it.  Here, 
you  !  Help  me  get  in  these  boats  !" 

Phil  was  so  carried  away  by  the  excitement  of  the 


112  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

moment  that  before  he  knew  what  he  was  about  he 
found  himself  working  furiously  with  the  captain  and 
two  other  men  at  getting  the  boats  that  were  still  tow- 
ing alongside  out  of  the  water  and  on  deck. 

By  the  time  this  was  done  the  schooner  was  hauled 
on  an  easy  bowline,  which  was  her  best  point  of  sail- 
ing, and  with  every  stitch  of  canvas  that  could  be 
packed  on  her,  was  tearing  through  the  water  so  swiftly 
that  it  seemed  doubtful  if  even  a  steamer  could  catch 
her.  Certainly,  if  the  wind  held,  she  could  not  be 
overhauled  before  night  closed  down.  Still,  while  she 
was  getting  into  racing  trim,  and  on  account  of  the 
alteration  in  her  course,  the  cutter  had  made  a  decided 
gain,  and  was  now  much  nearer  than  at  first. 

"  Blow,  good  wind,  blow  !"  shouted  Captain  Duff, 
as  he  stood  on  the  after-deck,  critically  eying  his  sails. 
Phil  Ryder  stood  a  short  distance  from  him,  watching 
the  cutter,  and  experiencing  a  return  of  the  bitter  feel- 
ings he  had  forgotten  during  the  recent  period  of  ex- 
citement and  action. 

"  Oh,  I  hope  she  will  catch  us !"  he  exclaimed,  aloud, 
though  unconsciously. 

Just  then  a  second  gun  was  fired  by  the  pursuer,  and 
with  an  angry  scream  a  shot  flew  over  the  schooner, 
and  plunged  into  the  water  far  ahead. 

"Then  go  below,  ye  swab,  and  stay  there  !"  roared 
Captain  Duff,  furious  at  both  the  shot  and  Phil's 
words.  As  he  spoke  he  gave  the  lad  a  violent  shove 
that  landed  him  at  the  foot  of  the  cabin  stairs,  and  at 
the  same  time  the  slide  was  drawn  to  above  his  head. 


CHAPTER    XVIII 
CHASED    BY    A    KEVENUE-CUTTER 

As  Phil  picked  himself  up  from  the  cabin  floor,  his 
whole  frame  ablaze  with  anger,  he  muttered  through 
his  clinched  teeth,  "If  that  brute  thinks  I  am  going  to 
stay  down  here  like  a  rat  in  a  hole,  he  is  mightily  mis- 
taken, that's  all." 

Then,  with  a  boldness  born  of  his  bitter  feelings,  he 
made  his  way  through  the  narrow  passage  into  the 
galley,  out  through  it  to  the  deck,  and  walking  deliber- 
ately aft,  assumed  his  former  position.  Now,  however, 
he  keenly  watched  Captain  Duff's  every  movement, 
feeling  certain  that  the  latter  was  too  great  a  coward 
to  strike  him  while  he  was  on  guard. 

The  captain  glared  savagely  at  the  only  member  of 
his  crew  who  dared  to  openly  defy  him,  but  seemed 
uncertain  how  to  act.  Perhaps  it  was  fortunate  for 
both  of  them  that  in  this  emergency  their  attention 
was  directed  from  each  other  by  a  third  shot  from  the 
cutter.  This  time  the  range  was  so  perfect  that  the 
hurtling  missile  passed  through  the  schooner's  main- 
topsail,  in  which  it  tore  a  jagged  hole. 

Although  this  being  made  a  target  for  cannon-balls 
was  a  thrillingly  novel  sensation  to  our  young  hunt- 
er, his  state  of  mind  was  such  that  it  caused  him 
neither  fear  nor  anxiety.  After  standing  still  a  min- 
ute or  so  longer,  he  walked  slowly  forward  to  find 
Serge,  and  ask  him  how  he  was  enjoying  the  ex- 
perience. 

Ere  the  cutter  could  fire  another  shot  darkness  had 


114  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

so  set  in  that  neither  vessel  was  visible  from  the  other, 
and  only  a  red  glow  at  the  top  of  her  funnel  marked 
the  pursuer's  position. 

Little  by  little  Captain  Duff  altered  his  course  by 
hugging  the  wind  a  trifle  more  closely,  until  at  length 
even  the  glow  above  the  cutter's  funnel  was  no  longer 
to  be  seen,  nor  the  beat  of  her  screw  heard.  Then  the 
red-faced  master  of  the  Seamew,  realizing  that  he  had 
escaped  the  clutches  of  the  law,  gave  a  hoarse  chuckle 
of  satisfaction. 

Phil  found  Serge  quite  as  indifferent  to  the  result  of 
the  chase  as  himself,  though  somewhat  more  nervous 
concerning  the  shots,  and  much  relieved  when  he  found 
there  were  to  be  no  more.  When,  an  hour  later,  supper 
was  served  aboard  the  schooner,  the  lads  ate  theirs  to- 
gether on  deck.  Then  when  Serge  was  relieved  from 
watch,  Phil  crept  into  the  narrow  forecastle  bunk  with 
him,  and  they  shared  it  together  for  the  rest  of  the 
night. 

While  our  lad  was  not  willing  to  trust  himself  with- 
in reach  of  Captain  Duff's  arm  during  the  hours  of 
darkness,  he  was  so  ready  to  defy  him  by  daylight  that 
in  the  morning  he  returned  to  the  cabin  for  breakfast, 
during  which  meal  both  he  and  his  table  companions, 
including  the  captain,  preserved  an  unbroken  silence. 

The  schooner,  having  been  kept  under  full  sail  all 
night,  was  felt  by  all  hands  to  have  placed  many 
miles  of  safety  between  herself  and  her  pursuer  by 
sunrise,  or  at  least  by  the  time  the  sun  was  supposed 
to  have  risen  beyond  the  dense  fog-bank  in  which  the 
Seamew  was  again  enveloped.  So  confident  was  Cap- 
tain Duff  that  he  was  beyond  his  enemy's  reach  that, 
his  cupidity  being  aroused  by  the  sight  of  a  sleeping 
seal,  he  determined  to  have  one  more  day  of  slaughter 
before  leaving  those  waters.  He  therefore  ordered 
out  the  boats,  and  charged  the  hunters  to  do  their  best, 


CHASED   BY    A    REVENUE-CUTTER  115 

as  this  would  be  their  last  chance  of  that  season  to 
make  any  money  by  seal-killing. 

To  the  amazement  and  consternation  of  the  entire 
crew,  the  youngest  of  the  hunters,  boldly  facing  the 
bully,  of  whom  they  stood  so  greatly  in  awe,  refused 
point-blank  to  fire  a  shot  at  a  seal. 

"  I  said  last  evening,  when  I  discovered  the  crime  of 
which  I  had  been  guilty,  that  I  would  never  shoot  an- 
other seal,  and  I  never  will,"  said  Phil,  with  all  the 
decision  of  which  his  voice  was  capable. 

"Mr.  Coombs,"  said  the  captain,  in  the  blandest  of 
tones,  stepping  to  the  rail  and  addressing  the  mate, 
who  had  already  entered  his  boat,  "will  you  oblige 
me  by  passing  up  that  water-breaker?  Thank  you. 
And  that  bag  of  biscuit,  if  you  please?  Now,  ye 
mutinous  young  swab  !"  he  roared,  turning  to  Phil 
with  an  abrupt  change  of  voice-and  manner,  "  get  into 
that  boat,  quick  !  afore  I  throw  ye  in  !" 

"  Certainly,  sir,  I  will  get  into  the  boat,  for  I  do  not 
intend  to  be  mutinous,  but  I  have  promised  myself  not 
to  shoot  any  more  seals,  and  I  cannot  break  a  promise." 

"  Humph  !"  growled  Captain  Duff,  "  we'll  see  what 
your  promises  amount  to.  There  is  neither  food  nor 
water  in  your  boat,  and  I'll  see  that  neither  you  nor 
those  with  you  get  a  mouthful  of  either  till  ye  bring 
back  a  load  of  seals  or  their  skins.  You  may  choose 
to  make  your  companions  suffer  for  your  fool  notions, 
but  I  rather  guess  they'll  find  a  way  to  make  you 
change  your  mind.  Shove  off!" 

When  the  schooner  was  lost  to  sight  in  the  fog, 
Serge  rested  on  his  oars,  and  turning  to  his  friend, 
asked,  "  Do  you  mean  to  stick  it  out,  Phil  ?" 

"I  certainly  do  not  intend  to  shoot  a  seal  this  day," 
was  the  quiet  reply. 

"Well,  then,  though  I  can't  exactly  understand  your 
feelings  in  this  matter,  I'll  see  you  through  with  it, 


116  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

and  stand  by  you  to  the  end,  and  here's  my  hand 
on  it." 

"  Thank  you,  old  fellow !"  and  with  the  warm  hand- 
clasp that  passed  between  the  two  lads  the  young 
hunter  felt  that  his  cause  was  won. 

"  Is  it  a  clear  case  of  conscience  with  ye,  lad  ?"  in- 
quired the  mate. 

"  Yes,  sir,  it  is." 

"  Then  ye  can  count  me  on  your  side  too ;  for,  as  old 
Kite  Roberson  uster  say,  '  any  man  as  '11  go  back  on 
his  conscience  ain't  no  right  to  call  hisself  a  man,'  and 
them's  likewise  my  sentiments." 

In  the  meantime  seals  were  gambolling  about  the 
boat  on  all  sides,  and  gazing  fearlessly  at  them  from 
the  wave  crests  raised  by  a  rapidly  freshening  breeze, 
while  the  distant  sounds  of  rapid  firing  told  of  the 
work  being  performed  by  the  other  hunters.  The  oc- 
cupants of  the  mate's  boat  talked  in  low  tones  of  their 
situation  and  its  possible  results,  while  their  craft 
drifted  with  the  wind  for  nearly  an  hour. 

Suddenly  Jalap  Coombs  lifted  his  hand  for  silence, 
and  listened  intently  for  a  moment.  Then  he  said, 
"  There's  a  screw  -  steamer  bearing  down  on  us,  and 
she's  not  far  away." 

The  commanding  officer  of  the  United  States  rev- 
enue-cutter Phoca  was  a  far  shrewder  man  than  Cap- 
tain Duff  had  given  him  credit  for  being.  Although 
he  had  been  disappointed  at  not  overhauling  the  Sea- 
mew  before  darkness  hid  her  from  view,  he  by  no  means 
gave  up  all  hope  of  capturing  the  saucy  schooner, 
cleverly  as  she  had  escaped  him  for  the  time  being. 
Watching  her  through  a  powerful  glass,  long  after  she 
was  lost  to  the  unaided  vision,  he  noted  that  she  was 
gradually  hauling  on  the  wind,  and  shaped  his  own 
course  accordingly.  Shortly  before  daylight  he  stopped 
his  engines,  and  set  a  dozen  pair  of  the  keenest  ears 


CHASED    BY   A   REVENUE-CUTTER  11 V 

among  his  crew  to  listening  for  any  sounds  that  might 
come  over  the  fog -obscured  waters.  He,  too,  heard 
the  splashing  of  frolicking  seals,  and  wisely  concluded 
that  a  skipper  who  was  so  anxious  to  secure  a  few 
skins  as  to  be  willing  to  run  the  risk  of  hunting  them 
in  Bering  Sea  would,  in  his  present  state  of  fancied 
security,  try  for  a  few  more  before  leaving  it  for  good. 
Not  long  after  this  the  correctness  of  his  judgment 
was  proved  by  the  sound  of  shots  borne  faintly  down 
the  wind  through  the  heavy  air.  Quickly  was  the 
Phoca  got  under  way,  and  stealthily,  like  the  white 
ghost  of  a  ship,  she  sped  through  the  mist  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  shots. 

"We'll  pick  up  the  hunting-boats  and  their  crews 
first,"  said  the  commander  to  his  first- lieutenant. 
"Then  Mr.  Skipper  will  find  himself  too  short-handed 
to  make  sail  in  a  hurry,  and  I  rather  guess  that,  like 
Davy  Crockett's  coon,  he  will  conclude  to  come  down." 

The  plan  worked  so  well  that  in  less  than  an  hour 
from  that  time  Captain  Duff,  Ike  Croly,  Oro  Dunn, 
and  the  rest  of  the  Seamew's  company  found  them- 
selves prisoners  on  board  the  revenue-cutter  Phoca, 
while  their  own  craft  was  in  charge  of  a  prize-crew  of 
bluejackets  detailed  for  that  duty. 

In  the  excitement  attending  this  capture,  and  the 
hurried  transfer  of  crews,  the  fact  that  a  boat  con- 
taining the  schooner's  mate  and  two  others  was  miss- 
ing was  entirely  overlooked  until  the  vessels  were 
again  under  way.  Then,  though  guns  were  fired,  and 
several  hours  were  spent  in  search  for  the  lost  boat,  no 
trace  of  it  was  found.  In  the  meantime  the  wind 
freshened  so  rapidly  into  a  gale  that  finally,  fearful  for 
the  safety  of  the  craft  in  his  charge,  with  the  rugged 
rocks  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  under  their  lee,  the  com- 
mander gave  the  reluctant  order  to  run  for  a  pass,  and 
the  open  waters  of  the  Pacific. 


118  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

Thus  it  happened  that  the  boat  in  whose  occupants 
we  are  most  interested  was  left  tossing  alone  on  the 
storm-lashed  waters  of  that  desolate  sea.  Although 
its  crew  were  thus  placed  in  a  most  unpleasant  and 
even  dangerous  position,  it  was  one  for  which  they  had 
only  themselves  to  blame.  So  close  had  the  Phoca 
passed  to  them  that  they  might  easily  have  hailed  her 
and  been  picked  up,  had  they  chosen  to  do  so.  Instead 
of  this  they  kept  perfectly  quiet,  or  only  conversed  in 
low  tones,  and  congratulated  each  other  that,  owing  to 
Phil's  firmness,  no  shots  by  which  their  presence  would 
have  been  betrayed  had  been  fired  from  their  boat 
that  morning.  Their  reason  for  this  action  was  that 
they  were  unanimous  in  desiring  to  escape  capture — 
Jalap  Coombs,  because  he  had  no  liking  for  an  im- 
prisonment, or  at  least  a  long  residence  on  shore  in 
enforced  idleness  ;  Phil,  because  his  heart  was  set  on 
reaching  Sitka  as  soon  as  possible,  and  he  fancied  the 
captured  schooner  would  be  taken  to  Seattle  or  San 
Francisco  ;  and  Serge  on  the  general  theory  that  it  is 
a  bad  thing  to  be  captured  under  any  circumstances. 

Besides,  when  by  the  sounds  that  came  over  the  sea 
the  mate  felt  assured  that  the  Seamew  had  been  taken, 
he  proposed  a  plan  which  seemed  so  feasible  that  both 
lads  readily  agreed  to  it. 


CHAPTER  XIX 
CASTAWAYS    ON    OONIMAK 

"  You  see,  boys,"  began  Jalap  Coombs,  after  it  was 
certain  that  the  Seamew  had  been  captured,  "  as  my 
friend  old  Kite  Roberson  uster  say, '  I  ain't  no  pig  in 
a  poke.'  Not  that  I've  ever  got  onto  the  exact  bear- 
ings of  a  'poke';  but  nigh  as  I  can  make  out,  it's  some 
tumble  dark  place  like  a  ship's  hold  with  the  hatches 
battened  down,  or  maybe  a  tomb.  Anyhow,  I  haven't 
been  in  the  dark  all  this  time  so  much  as  Cap'n  Duff 
thought  I  was.  He  'lowed  he  was  the  only  navigator 
'boardship,  while  I  'lowed  there  was  two  of  us.  So, 
while  he  kep'  his  log,  I  likewise  kep'  mine.  Now, 
'cording  to  my  reckoning,  we  are  not,  at  this  blessed 
minute,  more'n  fifty  mile  from  the  island  of  Oonimak, 
with  a  breeze  that's  coming  on  a  gale  blowing  dead 
for  it.  If  we  choose,  we  can  make  it  inside  of  six 
hours,  and  I  reckon  we'll  make  it  anyway,  sooner  or 
later,  whether  we  choose  or  no,  ef  this  wind  holds. 
There  is  water  there  and  maybe  something  to  eat, 
both  of  which  is  wanting  with  us  at  the  present  time." 

"There  are  seal-skins  there  too,"  interrupted  Serge. 

"  Sartain  there  is,  lad,  and  I  was  meaning  to  have 
fetched  'em  on  the  next  tack.  Now  the  question  is, 
who  owns  them  seal-skins,  and  what  shall  be  did  with 
'em?  Ef  they  is  left  where  they  be  too  long,  they'll 
spile.  Ef  the  natyves  finds  'em  they'll  be  stole.  Ef 
they  stays  there  till  Cap'n  Duff  can  come  for  them, 
they'll  be  spiled.  Ef  the  gover'ment  finds  'em,  they'll 
be  confiskercated,  though  being  took  in  the  open  sea 


120 

they  ain't  in  no  ways  liable.  Ef  we  find  'era,  we'll 
save  'em  and  make  good  use  of  'em.  A  part  of  'em 
belongs  to  us,  anyway,  and  the  rest  would  naturally 
be  ours  by  the  right  of  salvage  ef  we  saved  'em  from 
destruction.  So  now  I  leaves  it  to  you  two  ef  our  best 
plan  ain't  to  clap  sail  onto  this  little  packet,  head  her 
for  Oonimak  Island,  do  the  best  we  can  with  our  seal- 
skins, and  afterwards  shape  our  course  'cording  to  sar- 
cumstances  ?" 

Both  lads  agreed  that  they  could  suggest  no  better 
plan  of  action  than  this,  whereupon  the  mate  remarked 
that  "  them  was  his  sentiments  and  likewise  old  Kite 
Roberson's,  who  uster  say,  '  When  ye  sight  a  good 
thing,  keep  your  eye  on  it ;  if  not,  what's  the  use  of 
eyes  ?' " 

So  the  whale  -  boat's  sail  was  hoisted,  she  was  got 
before  the  wind,  and  on  the  fierce  breath  of  the  rising 
gale  she  was  whirled  away  like  an  autumn  leaf  in  the 
direction  of  Oonimak  Island. 

So  strongly  did  the  gale  blow  by  the  time  the  day 
was  half  spent,  and  with  such  prodigious  leapings  did 
the  light  boat  spring  from  crest  to  crest  of  the  leaden 
seas,  that  every  ounce  of  Jalap  Coombs's  strength  and 
every  atom  of  his  skill  were  necessary  to  her  safe  steer- 
ing and  to  keeping  her  from  being  swamped.  While  he 
stood  up  in  the  stern  in  order  to  get  a  better  purchase 
on  his  long  steering  -  oar,  the  lads,  crouched  in  the 
boat's  bottom  amidship  in  order  to  steady  her  as  much 
as  possible,  were  obliged  to  devote  most  of  their  time 
to  bailing.  In  spite  of  their  thick  clothing  and  oil- 
skins, the  damp  chill  of  the  wind  penetrated  to  the 
bone,  and  they  were  drenched  by  incessant  showers  of 
flying  spray. 

After  six  hours  of  this  terribly  exciting  and  arduous 
sailing,  all  hands  began  to  look  anxiously  for  a  break 
in  the  fog,  and  strained  their  eyes  for  some  glimpse 


CASTAWAYS    ON    OONIMAK  121 

of  the  land  they  felt  sure  must  be  near  at  hand.  At 
length,  in  a  momentary  lift,  they  caught  sight  of  Shi- 
shaldin's  snowy  cone,  and  knew  that  Jalap  Coombs  had 
indeed  brought  them  to  Oonimak.  Now  they  heard 
the  roar  of  breakers,  though  they  could  see  nothing  of 
the  coast  against  which  these  were  so  furiously  thun- 
dering. To  keep  on  seemed  suicidal  ;  while  to  either 
halt  or  retreat  in  the  face  of  the  furious  gale  now  rag- 
ing was  impossible. 

A  warning  cry  from  Phil,  a  mighty  sweep  of  Jalap 
Coombs's  steering-oar,  and  their  cockle-shell  swerved 
from  a  jagged  rock  against  which  the  hissing  waves 
were  churned  to  a  yeasty  froth.  Their  tremendous 
speed  was  apparent  as  they  swept  by  this  mark  so 
swiftly  that  in  a  moment  it  was  again  swallowed  by 
the  mist,  and  had  vanished  behind  them. 

"If  we  can  only  have  the  lutk  to  strike  a  beach," 
said  Serge,  though  his  words  were  unheard  save  by 
himself. 

"Hold  hard  !  and  stand  by  !"  shouted  Jalap  Coombs, 
as  with  set  face  and  unflinching  gaze  he  stared  through 
the  gray  thickness  at  a  line  of  leaping  white,  behind 
which  was  a  dim  background  of  land.  "  We're  close 
in  now,  and  she'll  strike  in  another  minute  !  When 
she  does,  then  jump  and  run  for  your  lives.  Look 
out!" 

Even  as  he  spoke  the  whale-boat  was  lifted  high  in 
the  air,  poised  for  a  moment  like  a  bird  in  mid-flight, 
and  then  hurled  forward  amid  a  smother  of  foam  and 
a  roar  of  rushing  waters.  An  instant  later  she  struck 
with  a  crash  that  left  her  occupants  bruised  and  breath- 
less. There  was  no  time,  however,  to  consider  bruises 
or  aches,  and  almost  with  the  shock  itself  they  had 
gained  their  feet  and  leaped  into  water  up  to  their 
knees. 

Phil  had  grasped  both  shot-gun  and  rifle  with  the 


122  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

• 

hope  that  he  might  save  them  from  the  wreck.  Wheth- 
er or  not  he  was  overbalanced  by  their  weight  he  nev- 
er knew  ;  but  with  his  first  step  into  the  water  he 
slipped  on  the  kelp-covered  rocks,  fell  face  downward, 
and  would  have  been  swept  away  by  the  outward  rush 
of  the  sea  had  not  the  mate  seized  his  collar.  With  a 
single  movement  of  the  sinewy  arm  Phil  was  lifted  to 
his  feet,  and  in  another  minute  had  been  dragged  be- 
yond reach  of  the  breakers  that  chafed  and  roared  in 
impotent  rage  at  this  escape  of  the  prey  they  had 
deemed  so  surely  their  own. 

The  next  sea  sprang  upon  the  boat,  rolled  it  over 
and  over,  bit  at  it  with  savage  teeth,  and  finally  tossed 
it,  hopelessly  shattered,  at  the  feet  of  its  recent  occu- 
pants. 

Serge  could  have  cried  at  this  wanton  destruction  of 
that  upon  which  they  had  so  much  depended,  while 
Phil  was  equally  disconsolate  over  the  loss  of  his  guns. 
To  Jalap  Coombs,  however,  these  successive  disasters 
seemed  only  to  lend  an  access  of  cheerfulness  and  ac- 
tivity. Rushing  into  the  ravenous  waters,  he  snatched 
from  them  the  boat's  mast  and  sail,  the  long-handled 
gaff,  a  couple  of  oars,  a  coil  of  line,  and  some  loose  bits 
of  rope. 

"  Don't  ye  be  cast  down,  lads  !"  he  cried,  cheerily, 
after  this  had  been  accomplished,  and  the  three  stood 
together  on  the  beach.  "  We've  more  to  be  thankful 
for  than  to  grieve  over.  We've  lost  our  boat,  to  be 
sure  ;  but  it's  a  marcy  it  brung  us  safe  to  shore  as  it 
did.  There's  no  use  in  crying  over  it  now  ;  for,  as  old 
Kite,  uster  say,  '  What  can't  be  mended  had  best  stay 
broke.' " 

"But  what  are  we  going  to  do  for  a  living  now 
that  our  guns  are  gone  ?"  asked  Phil. 

"  Guns  ?"  cried  Mr.  Coombs,  contemptuously.  "  Ef 
we  hadn't  nothing  but  guns  to  depend  on  in  this 


CASTAWAYS    ON   OONIMAK  123 

world,  I  reckon  there'd  be  a-many  of  us  wouldn't  make 
no  living.  I  know  I  wouldn't,  nor  do  I  think  Kite  Rob- 
erson  would  have  ;  for,  good  soul  as  he  was,  he  never 
could  a-bear  the  sight  of  a  gun.  Said  his  daddy  uster 
lick  him  with  a  ramrod  from  the  time  he  was  broiling 
age  till  he  run  away  to  sea.  What  are  we  going  to 
do  for  a  living  ?  Go  fishing  for  one  thing  ;  develop 
the  resources  of  this  here  island  for  another.  When 
we're  tired  of  developing  we  can  go  into  the  fur  busi- 
ness, and  take  to  trading  seal  -  skins.  You've  forgot 
the  wealth  we've  got  stowed  away  up  yonder,  haven't 
ye,  and  that  we  come  here  a-purpose  to  look  after  ?" 

"Yes,  I  had,"  answered  Phil,  soberly,  "and  I  had 
forgotten  our  many  other  mercies  as  well.  I  had  al- 
most forgotten  the  miraculous  preservation  of  our 
lives  ;  but  I  shall  remember,  and  be  thankful  for  it 
from  this  time  on." 

"We  are  fortunate  to  be  cast  away  on  this  particu- 
lar island,"  broke  in  Serge,  "for,  from  what  I  have 
heard,  it  has  plenty  of  water,  which  some  of  them  have 
not,  plenty  of  food,  such  as  it  is,  plenty  of  material  for 
making  a  fire,  plenty  of  old  houses  in  which  we  can 
find  shelter,  and,  above  all,  it  is  located  right  in  the 
track  of  all  vessels  going  into  or  out  of  Bering  Sea, 
as  well  as  up  and  down  the  coast." 

"  If  food,  drink,  fire,  and  shelter  are  awaiting  us,  let's 
go  to  them,  and  not  keep  them  waiting  any  longer," 
cried  Phil,  "  for  I  am  hungry,  thirsty,  wet,  cold,  and 
tired,  and  if  you  two  are  not  all  of  those  things  you 
ought  to  be." 

"  Speaking  of  fire,"  remarked  Jalap  Coombs,  as  he 
ruefully  withdrew  the  shattered  remains  of  what  had 
been  a  water-tight  match-box  from  his  pocket,  "  I  hope 
you  boys  have  got  some  dry  matches  with  ye,  for  mine 
are  all  spiled." 

As  neither  of  them  had  any  matches,  the  mate's  face 


124 

grew  very  sober ,  but  he  brightened  as  Serge  re- 
marked, confidently,  "If  you  will  provide  food,  Mr. 
Coombs,  I  will  promise  you  the  fire  to  cook  it  with,  un- 
less all  the  stories  I  have  heard  of  this  island  are  false." 

"  Good  for  you,  lad  !  Fire's  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant things  ;  but  I  must  say  I  don't  see  how  you're 
going  to  get  it,  unless  ye  mean  to  climb  to  the  top  of 
yon  smoking  mountain." 

"I  don't  believe  I  shall  have  to  go  quite  as  far  as 
that,"  replied  Serge,  "  but  I'll  get  it,  and  the  question 
is  where  will  you  have  it  put.  Do  you  know  what 
part  of  the  island  we  have  landed  on,  or  where  the 
seal-skin  cache  is  ?" 

"  I  do,"  answered  Phil  ;  "  for  I  recognize  that  far 
point  with  the  ugly-looking  water  just  beyond." 

"  Right  you  are,  lad,"  said  Jalap  Coombs.  "  It  was 
just  to  the  east'ard  of  this  very  place  we  landed  the 
skins,  and  the  cache  isn't  more'n  half  a  mile  away  from 
where  we  stand.  You're  right  in  calling  that  *  ugly  ' 
water  too,  for  it's  the  beginning  of  Krenitzin  Strait,  as 
nasty  a  bit  of  roaring  tide-rip  and  eddy,  rock  and  reef, 
as  ye'll  find  on  the  coast.  It's  God's  marcy  that  we 
warn't  flung  in  there  instead  of  on  to  this  beach.  Ef 
we  had  been,  we  wouldn't  have  stood  no  more  show 
than  a  butterfly  in  a  whirlwind." 


CHAPTER   XX 
BRIMSTONE    AND    FEATHERS 

WHILE  they  talked,  the  three  drenched  and  shiver- 
ing castaways  walked  briskly  up  the  beach,  through  a 
broad  belt  of  golden-green  moss,  crossed  a  little  stream 
of  fresh  water,  from  which  they  drank  eagerly,  and 
finally  reached  a  wind-swept  plateau  overlooking  both 
the  sea  and  the  mad  waters  of  Krenitzin  Strait.  Here 
they  found  the  ruins  of  many  ancient  dwellings  hud- 
dled closely  together,  and  marking  the  site  of  a  once 
populous  Aleutian  settlement.  Although  the  mate 
and  the  two  lads  knew  that  Oonimak  Island  had  not 
been  inhabited  for  many  years,  they  could  not  help  ex- 
pecting to  see  human  forms  emerge  from  some  of  the 
ancient  dwellings,  and  fancying  that  in  the  shriek  of 
the  wind  over  the  roofless  structures  they  heard  de- 
spairing human  voices. 

Phil  and  Serge  had  never  been  there  before,  but  Ja- 
lap Coombs  had,  though  only  in  the  night-time,  and 
he  pointed  out  the  ruin  that  stood  nearest  the  beach 
as  the  one  containing  the  cache  of  seal-skins. 

They  did  not  visit  it,  but  searched  among  the  others 
for  one  suited  to  their  purpose.  At  length  they  found 
an  old  barrabkie,  or  primitive  Aleut  hut,  three  walls  of 
which  were  still  standing,  though  the  other  wall  and 
the  roof  had  fallen  in,  filling  the  interior  with  a  con- 
fused mass  of  rubbish. 

"  My  !  what  a  dismal  -  looking  place  !"  exclaimed 
Phil,  with  a  shiver.  "  If  it  wasn't  for  this  terrible 


126  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

wind  that  seems  to  blow  right  through  me,  I'd  rather 
take  my  chances  outside." 

"  Wait  till  we  get  through  with  it,  lad,  afore  ye  pass 
jedgment,"  said  Jalap  Coombs.  "  I  never  see  a  place 
yet  so  dismal  but  what  a  couple  of  live  Yankees  like 
me  and  you,  one  of  which  is  likewise  a  subjeck,  couldn't 
knock  the  dismalness  out  of.  Now,  Serge,  my  boy,  ef 
ye'll  only  go  ahead  with  that  fire  scheme  of  your'n, 
the  rest  of  us  '11  overhaul  this  shebang,  and  see  ef  we 
can't  make  it  a  little  more  ship-shape." 

So  Serge  departed  on  his  self-imposed  mission,  while 
the  others  began  a  vigorous  cleaning  out  of  the  old 
barrabkie. 

The  floor  of  this  ancient  habitation,  which  was  of 
the  same  style  as  those  built  by  many  Aleuts  of  to- 
day, was  of  hard  -  packed  earth,  and  was  sunk  about 
four  feet  below  the  level  of  the  surrounding  surface. 
A  stout  frame  of  whale  ribs  standing  about  six  feet 
high  had  been  erected  and  enclosed  in  a  wall  two  feet 
thick  of  tough,  peaty  sods.  This  in  turn  had  been 
protected  by  an  outer  wall  of  loose  rocks,  while  the 
whole  had  at  one  time  been  roofed  with  whalebone 
rafters  and  a  thick  thatch  of  the  heavy  sedge-grass 
that  grows  on  all  those  islands. 

For  an  hour  Phil  and  the  mate  worked  like  beavers 
to  clear  this  place  of  its  ruinous  litter.  Then  they 
returned  to  the  beach  and  brought  up  everything  that 
had  been  saved  from  the  wrecked  boat,  including,  of 
course,  its  sail.  This  with  great  difficulty,  on  account 
of  the  high  wind,  they  fashioned  into  a  sort  of  a  tent 
roof,  supported  by  oars,  over  one  end  of  the  barrabkie. 
This  being  finished  to  their  satisfaction,  the  mate  went 
to  the  beach  for  drift-wood  in  anticipation  of  their 
promised  fire,  while  Phil  gathered  a  quantity  of  sphag- 
num moss,  which  he  spread  thickly  over  the  earthen 
floor  of  their  shelter. 


BRIMSTONE    AND    FEATHERS  127 

While  the  latter  was  wondering  what  he  should  do 
next,  and  what  had  become  of  Serge,  and  if  any  one 
else  had  ever  been  so  hungry  as  he  without  the  slight- 
est prospect  of  supper,  Jalap  Coombs  appeared  stag- 
gering beneath  an  immense  load  of  drift  -  wood,  and 
greatly  excited. 

"  Come,  lad,"  he  cried,  as  he  seized  the  long  -  han- 
dled steel  gaff,  "  let's  go  fishing.  We  may  have  to 
eat  'em  raw,  for  I  don't  see  any  sign  of  Serge  or  his 
fire.  But  even  that  '11  be  better  than  starving." 

"Fishing  for  what?"  called  out  Phil,  as  he  hurried 
after  his  companion. 

"Salmon  !"  shouted  back  the  mate.  "They're  run- 
ning in  the  strait." 

Now  Phil  had  seen  salmon-fishing  in  Canada,  where 
after  hours  of  wading  and  patient  labor  an  occasional 
fish  had  been  lured  with  a  fly-  and  finally  hooked. 
Then,  after  a  protracted  struggle,  in  which  the  angler 
had  displayed  infinite  skill  and  patience,  the  fish  had 
either  escaped  or  been  brought  within  reach  of  a  gaff. 
With  this  as  his  sole  experience  in  salmon-fishing,  he 
could  not  help  thinking  that  Jalap  Coombs  must  be 
crazy  to  fancy  that  without  rod,  line,  reel,  fly,  or  hook 
he  was  going  to  capture  one  of  the  wariest  and  gamest 
of  fish  with  a  gaff. 

Nevertheless,  that  is  just  what  our  young  hunter  did 
see  done.  He  also  saw  another  sight  that  filled  him 
with  wonder.  It  was  a  stream  of  fresh- water  flowing 
into  Krenitzin  Strait,  and  filled  from  bank  to  bank 
with  salmon,  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  them 
leaping,  crowding  each  other  almost  to  suffocation,  and 
eagerly  working  their  way  up  against  the  swift  cur- 
rent to  their  spawning -beds  some  miles  inland.  In 
these  beds  they  had  been  born,  and  to  them  they  re- 
turned as  surely  as  came  the  seasons  themselves.  It 
is  so  with  every  Alaskan  river  and  stream,  from  the 


128  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

mighty  Yukon  southward.  Every  summer  sees  them 
swarm  with  uncounted  myriads  of  this  noble  fish. 
Millions  are  caught  for  canneries  and  salteries,  whence 
they  are  shipped  to  all  parts  of  the  world,  and  by  the 
natives,  who  thus  obtain  their  chief  food  supply  for 
the  ensuing  year,  while  millions  more  are  never  even 
seen  by  man. 

Phil  had  known  of  canned  salmon,  but  had  an  idea 
that  they  came  only  from  the  Columbia  River.  He 
had  never  imagined  that  in  far-away  Alaska  these 
splendid  fish  outnumbered  those  of  the  mighty  Oregon 
stream  a  thousand  to  one.  And  he  had  just  now  been 
wondering  if  Jalap  Coombs  could  catch  one  with  a 
gaff!  Had  even  laughed  at  the  idea  !  Now  he  smiled 
as  he  reflected  on  his  own  previous  ignorance  concern- 
ing salmon  and  their  ways.  Why,  he  could  catch 
them  with  his  hands  if  he  cared  to  go  into  the  water  ; 
while  to  hook  out  any  required  number  with  a  gaff 
was  as  simple  as  catching  oysters  with  a  rake. 

Within  three  minutes  the  mate  had  secured  two  fine 
fish,  weighing  between  ten  and  twenty  pounds  each. 
Then  he  and  Phil  went  a  short  distance  down  the 
beach,  and  inside  of  fifteen  minutes  more  had  captured 
half  a  dozen  great  paper-shelled  crabs,  each  as  large  as 
a  soup-plate.  Phil  also  filled  his  pockets  with  mussels, 
and  laden  with  this  abundant  supply  of  food  they 
again  turned  their  steps  towards  the  barrabkie. 

As  they  approached  it  they  were  overjoyed  to  see 
a  thin  column  of  smoke  rising  above  its  low  walls. 

"  Hurrah  !"  shouted  Phil.  "  Serge  has  got  a  fire 
sure  enough.  But  what  a  horrible,  vile,  dreadful 
smell  !  What  can  it  be  ?  Phew  !" 

"  Smells  like  burning  feathers,"  said  Jalap  Coombs. 
"  Wonder  who's  fainted  ?" 

Filled  with  curiosity,  they  hurried  forward,  and  as 
they  entered  the  barrabkie  they  beheld  Serge  on  his 


"MILLIONS  ARE  CAUGHT  FOR  CANNERIES  EACH  YEAR" 


BRIMSTONE    AND    FEATHERS  129 

knees  before  a  large  flat  stone  in  one  corner.  He  was 
bending  over  it,  and  blowing  with  furious  energy  at 
a  little  bunch  of  something,  from  which  a  dense  cloud 
of  smoke  and  the  most  nauseous  fumes  were  issuing. 

Hearing  the  voices  of  his  companions,  he  shouted 
joyfully,  without  looking  up,  and  hardly  pausing  in  his 
bellowslike  blowing,  "  I've  got  it." 

"  What  ?"  asked  Phil,  holding  his  nose.  "  The  chol- 
era? If  so,  keep  right  on  with  your  fumigating.  If 
not,  do  take  pity  on  a  suffering  community,  and  feed 
your  flame  with  leather,  or  rubber,  or  bones,  or  some- 
thing else  that  is  sweeter  and  pleasanter  to  the  smell 
than  the  frightful  stuff  you  are  burning." 

Just  then  the  smouldering  mass  burst  into  a  bright 
blaze,  and  Serge  sprang  to  his  feet,  jubilant  over  his 
success. 

"  Isn't  it  glorious  !"  he  shouted,  as  he  added  a  few 
wood  shavings  to  his  blaze.  Then  lighting  a  sliver,  he 
thrust  it  into  a  previously  prepared  pile  of  small  sticks 
that  he  had  placed  directly  before  the  open  end  of  the 
tent.  These  were  kindled  in  a  moment.  Larger 
sticks  and  billets  of  wood  were  carefully  added,  until 
in  a  few  minutes  more  a  fine,  leaping,  crackling,  spark- 
ling, and  altogether  lovely  fire  was  banishing  the  last 
trace  of  gloom  from  the  interior  of  the  old  barrabkie, 
and  extending  a  cheery  welcome  of  glowing  warmth 
to  the  three  castaways,  from  whose  soaked  garments 
little  clouds  of  steamy  fog  began  to  ascend  as  they 
gathered  admiringly  about  it. 

At  length  Serge  stood  up,  and  stepped  back  a  pace 
or  two  with  an  expression  of  triumphant  satisfaction 
that  said  as  plainly  as  words,  "  Now  I  am  ready  for 
congratulations."  And  the  others  did  congratulate 
him  most  heartily.  Jalap  Coombs  said,  "I  wouldn't 
have  believed  it  could  be  did  ef  I  hadn't  seen  it." 

"  It  didn't  take  seeing  to  make  me  believe  it,"  said 

9 


130 

Phil.  "  Smelling  was  sufficient.  What  was  the  magic 
compound  from  which  you  produced  such  a  frightful 
smell,  and  such  satisfactory  results  ?" 

"  Eider-down  and  sulphur,"  answered  Serge,  smiling. 

"  Brimstone  and  feathers  !"  shouted  Jalap  Coombs. 
"  I  knowed  it.  That's  what  old  Mis'  Roberson — she 
that  was  Kite's*  wife,  you  understand  —  allus  kep'  on 
hand  for  fainting  fits.  I've  smelled  'em  many  a  time, 
and  to  this  day  their  parfume  carries  me  back  to  my 
happy  childhood." 

"It  was  certainly  strong  enough  to  carry  one  'most 
anywhere,"  interrupted  Phil.  "  But  where  did  you 
get  'em,  old  man,  and  how  did  you  set  em  afire  ?" 

"I  had  a  long  tramp  after  the  sulphur,"  replied 
Serge,  "and  only  found  it  in  a  canon  about  three  miles 
back  of  here,  near  the  foot  of  the  mountain.  As  I 
couldn't  find  any  dry  moss  to  go  with  it,  I  hunted  for 
feathers  as  the  next-best  thing,  and  was  lucky  enough 
to  discover  an  eider-duck's  nest  on  the  cliffs.  Then  I 
came  back  here  and  found  my  *  fire-stick,'  that  flat  bit 
of  flint-rock,  in  one  of  the  old  huts,  also  my  '  striker,' 
that  bit  of  quartz.  After  that  the  getting  of  fire  was 
simple  enough.  I  spread  a  layer  of  eider-down  on  the 
flat  rock,  sprinkled  a  little  sulphur  over  it,  and  pounded 
the  mixture  with  my  quartz  rock  until  it  was  set  on 
fire  by  a  spark  struck  from  the  flint." 

"  Well,  if  that  isn't  one  way  of  getting  a  fire !"  ex- 
claimed Phil.  "I  say,  Serge,  what  a  wise  sort  of  chap 
you  are,  anyway  !  I  am  only  just  beginning  to  find  it 
out.  Why  didn't  you  tell  us  how  much  you  knew 
back  there  in  New  London  ?" 

"Because  the  kind  of  things  I  know  best  are  only 
worth  knowing  in  this  country,  where  I  learned  them," 
replied  Serge.  "They  would  not  be  appreciated  in 
New  London." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  said  Phil,  thoughtfully  ;  "  and  the 


WITHIN    THRKK    MINUTES   THE    MATE    HAD   SECURED   TWO   FINE   FISH" 


BRIMSTONE    AND    FEATHERS  131 

kind  of  things  I  have  been  taught,  such  as  Latin  and 
English  literature,  don't  seem  to  count  for  much  out 
here.  Neither  does  the  thing  that  I  know  best  of  all 
seem  to  be  appreciated  by  the  present  company.  It  is 
that  I  am  as  hungry  as  sixteen  wolves,  and  want  my 
supper." 

With  this  startling  statement  Phil  pounced  upon  an 
unoffending  crab  and  thrust  him  without  the  slightest 
compunction  into  a  bed  of  glowing  coals. 


CHAPTER  XXI 
LUXURY    ON    A   DESOLATE    ALEUTIAN   ISLAND 

BOTH  Jalap  Coombs  and  Serge  quickly  followed 
Phil's  example  so  far  as  the  crabs  were  concerned, 
and  while  these  were  baking,  the  lads  amused  them- 
selves by  roasting  and  eating  the  mussels  with  which 
the  young  hunter  had  filled  his  pockets.  "  My,  but 
aren't  these  good  !"  cried  Phil,  smacking  his  lips  over 
one  of  the  little  yellow  mussels  that  he  had  just  with- 
drawn steaming  hot  from  its  shell  and  eaten.  "I 
wish  we  had  a  bushel  of  them." 

"Ef  ye  had,  ye'd  be  sorry  ye  ever  seen  a  mussel 
afore  ye'd  finished  with  'em,"  remarked  the  mate,  with 
a  knowing  shake  of  his  head.  Disdaining  to  waste  his 
time  over  anything  so  trifling  and  unsatisfactory  as 
mussels,  he  was  devoting  himself  to  the  spitting  of  a 
salmon  on  a  long  stick,  which,  by  the  aid  of  several 
bits  of  rock,  he  so  arranged  that  the  fish  was  held  just 
above  a  bed  of  coals. 

"  Why  ?"  asked  Phil  and  Serge  together. 

"  Because  ye'd  be  made  sicker  'n  I  be  of  my  given 
name,  which  seeing  as  mussels  was  the  cause  of  it,  I 
never  could  abide  the  pesky  things.  I  never  have  et 
'em,  and  never  will  long  's  I  kin  find  anything  else  to 
starve  on." 

"  How  could  mussels  possibly  be  the  cause  of  your 
having  so  qu — I  mean  so  distinguished  a  name  ?"  asked 
Phil,  with  undisguised  curiosity. 

"  Waal,  I  tell  ye  what.  It's  quite  a  yarn  how  the 
hull  thing  kim  about ;  but  ef  you  boys  will  run  down 


LUXURY    ON   A   DESOLATE    ALEUTIAN   ISLAND      133 

to  the  beach  once  more  for  another  load  of  firewood 
afore  it  gets  plumb  dark,  and  while  I  tend  to  the  cook- 
ing of  the  fish,  I'll  spin  it  to  ye  after  supper." 

Agreeing  to  this,  the  lads,  tired  and  hungry  as  they 
were,  set  forth  into  the  outside  darkness  and  chill, 
both  of  which  were  intensified  by  the  brief  period  of 
firelight  and  warmth  they  had  just  enjoyed.  The 
wind  was  howling  with  such  an  increase  of  fury  that 
it  was  all  they  could  do  to  force  their  way  against  it, 
while  the  fog  had  given  place  to  dashes  of  sleety  rain. 

Glad  enough  were  they  when,  their  mission  accom- 
plished, they  once  more  regained  the  barrabkie,  bend- 
ing beneath  great  loads  of  wood,  which  they  flung 
down  with  sighs  of  relief. 

How  bright  and  cheery  the  once  despised  interior 
now  looked  !  What  a  comfort  it  was  to  be  sheltered 
from  the  tempest,  and,  above  all,  what  deliciously  tan- 
talizing odors  of  cooking  pervaded  the  whole  place  ! 
The  crabs,  beautifully  baked,  had  been  drawn  from 
the  ashes,  and  with  uplifted  claws  seemed  to  beckon 
the  famished  lads  to  come  and  eat  them.  The  great 
salmon  was  nearly  done,  and  was  being  basted  with 
its  own  drippings  caught  in  a  mussel-shell  that  Jalap 
Coombs  had  thrust  into  the  cleft  end  of  a  stick. 

No  second  invitation  from  the  big  crabs  was  needed, 
for  hardly  had  Phil  and  Serge  caught  sight  of  them 
before  they  pounced  upon  them  with  such  ferocity 
that  the  mate  was  obliged  to  suspend  culinary  opera- 
tions for  the  time  being  in  order  to  obtain  his  share  of 
the  first  course. 

"  I  always  thought  that  crabs  were  only  good  when 
deviled,"  remarked  Phil  at  length,  as  he  paused  in  his 
eating  to  look  for  something  on  which  to  crack  a  big 
claw.  "That's  the  way  my  aunt  Ruth  cooks  them. 
It's  an  awful  bother,  though,  and  why  people  should 
take  all  that  trouble  for  nothing  I  can't  imagine.  I'm 


134  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

sure  these  knock  any  deviled  crabs  I  ever  ate  away 
out  of  sight." 

Then  came  the  fish,  which  was  rather  smoky,  to  be 
sure,  and  was  served  on  a  bit  of  board,  without  sauce 
garnishings,  condiments,  or  accessories,  but  which  the 
guests  at  this  wilderness  feast  pronounced  the  very 
finest  and  best-cooked  salmon  they  had  ever  tasted. 
Jalap  Coombs  congratulated  his  young  companions  on 
their  splendid  appetites,  before  which  the  great  fish 
rapidly  disappeared,  until  nothing  was  left  but  head, 
tail,  and  cleanly  picked  bones,  and  they  complimented 
him  upon  his  cooking. 

"  Wouldn't  it  make  my  aunt  Ruth  open  her  eyes, 
though  !"  said  Phil.  "  She's  a  good  cook,  and  she 
knows  it  too  ;  but  she  never  cooked  a  salmon  like  this 
— that  is,  not  when  I  was  around.  Yes,  indeed,  Mr. 
Coombs,  you  certainly  could  give  her  points." 

If  Miss  Ruth  Ryder  could  have  seen  her  fastidious 
nephew  at  that  moment,  seated  on  the  earthen  floor  of 
a  ruinous  Aleutian  barrabkie,  and  tearing  with  knife 
and  fingers  at  a  smoky  half-cooked  salmon,  while  in 
the  glow  of  a  drift-wood  fire  his  honest  freckled  face 
shone  with  a  complete  satisfaction,  she  would  have 
marvelled  at  him.  Could  she  also  have  heard  his  un- 
stinted praise  of  this  rudely  served  meal,  and  his  ex- 
traordinary comparing  of  her  own  dainty  cooking  with 
the  rough-and-ready  methods  of  the  uncouth  sailor- 
man  who  sat  beside  him  in  favor  of  the  latter,  she 
would  have  mourned  over  him  as  over  one  who  had 
lost  his  mind,  and  Imew  not  whereof  he  spoke. 

Could  she,  however,  have  known  how  very,  very 
hungry  this  same  nephew  had  been  but  a  few  minutes 
before,  and  realized  the  wonderful  properties  of  the 
sauce  named  appetite,  she  would  have  rejoiced  with 
him  both  in  his  possession  of  it  and  his  present  oppor- 
tunity for  ridding  himself  of  it.  She  might  have  been 


LUXURY    ON    A    DESOLATE    ALEUTIAN    ISLAND       135 

shocked  at  his  apparent  forgetfulness  of  all  her  teach- 
ings in  the  matter  of  table  manners,  but  she  would 
have  been  comforted  by  his  appearance  of  perfect 
content  with  his  situation  and  its  surroundings. 

"  I  say,  isn't  this  jolly  ?"  he  cried,  as,  having  per- 
formed his  share  of  clearing  up  by  wiping  his  knife  on 
a  wisp  of  grass,  he  lay  back  luxuriously  on  his  yielding 
couch  of  moss  and  basked  in  the  fireglow.  "  I'm  sure 
I  don't  know  what  a  fellow  could  want  in  the  way  of 
camping  out  any  better  than  this.  We've  a  good  shel- 
ter, comfortable  beds,  plenty  to  eat,  an  interesting 
country  to  explore,  no  one  to  bother  us,  the  best  fish- 
ing I  ever  heard  of,  and  good  shooting.  You  said 
there  was  plenty  of  game  here,  didn't  you,  Serge  ?" 

"I  don't  know  that  I  did,"  answered  the  young  Alas- 
kan, "but  there  is.  I  found  fresh  caribou  tracks  to- 
day, and  wherever  there  are  caribou  there  are  big 
brown  bears  as  well — in  fact,  I  saw  what  I  am  sure 
must  be  a  bear  road." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"  asked  Phil,  showing  his  in- 
terest by  rising  into  a  sitting  posture  and  gazing  at 
the  speaker. 

"  I  mean  what  I  said.  A  regular  bear  and  caribou 
road.  I  never  saw  one  before,  but  I  have  often  heard 
hunters  describe  the  well-beaten  trail  that  starts  away 
off  on  the  mainland  somewhere  beyond  the  head  of 
Cook  Inlet  and  follows  the  Kenai  peninsula  for  two 
or  three  hundred  miles  down  to  this  very  Strait  of 
Krenitzin,  and  so  to  this  island.  Every  summer  many 
caribou  follow  it  and  come  to  Oonirnak  for  the  sake 
of  the  moss  and  lichens  that  grow  here  more  luxuri- 
antly than  anywhere  else.  Wherever  caribou  go  the 
bears  follow,  so  I  expect  there  are  plenty  of  both  on 
the  island  now." 

"  Oh,  if  I  only  had  a  rifle  !"  sighed  Phil.  "  Is  there 
anything  else  in  the  way  of  game  ?" 


136  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  Not  much  ;  only  sea-lions,  and  hair-seals,  and  foxes, 
and  any  quantity  of  sea -fowl,  including  ducks  and 
geese,  and  now  and  then  a  sea-otter." 

"  I  call  that  a  pretty  fair  list.  By-the-way,  what  is 
a  sea -otter?  I  don't  remember  ever  to  have  seen 
one." 

"  Probably  not,"  laughed 'Serge.  "Along  the  south- 
ern coast  of  these  very  islands  is  about  the  only  place 
in  the  whole  world  where  they  are  now  found,  and  even 
here  they  are  rarely  seen.  I  tell  you  the  hunter  who 
gets  a  sea-otter  nowadays  is  in  great  luck  ;  and  yet 
the  only  money  or  trade  goods  that  the  four  or  five 
thousand  Aleuts  of  these  islands  ever  see  come  to  them 
in  exchange  for  sea-otter  skins.  It  is  the  only  paying 
kind  of  hunting  that  is  left  entirely  to  the  natives,  and 
in  which  white  men  do  not  engage." 

"  Why  don't  they  ?" 

"  Because  it  is  too  hard  work  and  too  dangerous." 

"Is  it  any  harder  or  more  dangerous  than  seal-hunt- 
ing?" 

"  I  should  say  it  was  !  The  sea-otter  is  one  of  the 
shyest  and  most  keen-scented  of  animals.  If  the  tini- 
est bit  of  a  fire  is  lighted  to  windward  of  him,  even 
miles  away,  he  will  scent  it  and  be  off.  If  a  man 
walks  on  a  beach,  many  tides  must  wash  out  the  scent 
of  his  footsteps  before  a  sea-otter  will  approach  that 
place.  So  when  the  wind  is  off  shore  the  hunters  have 
to  go  without  fire,  even  for  cooking,  in  winter  as  well 
as  in  summer,  sometimes  for  weeks  at  a  time.  Then, 
too,  the  sea-otter  never  really  comes  ashore,  but  spends 
most  of  his  time  in  the  water  among  the  great  kelp- 
beds  that  you  have  seen  floating  in  the  North  Pacific. 
Even  their  young  are  born  in  those  floating  cradles. 
The  only  place  you  can  catch  him  ashore  is  on  the 
rocky  reefs  and  half-submerged  islands  lying  twenty 
or  thirty  miles  off  the  coast,  and  as  he  only  lands  on 


LUXURY    ON    A    DESOLATE    ALEUTIAN    ISLAND       137 

them  when  driven  to  do  so  by  the  severest  gales,  it  is 
then  that  he  must  be  hunted." 

"  How  do  they  hunt  him  ?"  asked  Phil,  who  seemed 
to  follow  this  investigation  to  its  end. 

"If  the  storm  is  off  shore,  like  this  one,  the  hunters 
wait  till  it  shows  signs  of  breaking.  Then  they  launch 
their  bidarkies,  fasten  their  kamleikas  tightly  around 
the  hatch  coamings  so  that  not  a  drop  of  water  can  get 
in,  and  run  down  the  gale  through  seas  that  would 
swamp  many  a  larger  craft,  until  they  reach  the  reef, 
and  make  a  landing  under  its  lee.  Then  they  creep 
up  to  windward  over  the  rocks,  and  generally  catch 
Mr.  Otter  asleep  in  the  sea-weed,  where  they  kill  him 
with  short  clubs.  The  story  is  told  of  two  native 
hunters  who  once  got  seventy-eight  in  a  single  hour 
by  this  method." 

"  What  is  a  bidarkie  ?  And  what  is  a  kamleika  ?" 
asked  Phil,  to  whom  these  were  strange  terms. 

"  A  bidarkie,"  laughed  Serge,  "  is  a  kyack  or  skin 
canoe,  such  as  is  used  by  all  Aleuts.  It  is  all  covered 
over,  and  is  absolutely  water-tight,  except  for  the 
round  holes  or  hatches  in  which  its  occupants  sit. 
Some  bidarkies  have  three  of  these  holes,  some  two, 
and  many  only  one.  As  a  general  thing,  sea-otter 
hunters  go  in  couples,  and  use  two-holed  bidarkies. 
A  kamleika  is  a  loose  water-proof  over-garment  made 
of  sea-lion  intestines.  When  a  hunter,  wearing  one  of 
these  and  sitting  in  a  bidarkie,  makes  its  skirts  fast  to 
the  coaming  of  his  hatch  no  water  can  enter  his  boat, 
no  matter  how  many  seas  break  over  it." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  only  way  of  hunting 
sea-otters  is  to  go  thirty  miles  from  land,  in  a  gale, 
with  a  chance  of  finding  an  almost  invisible  reef  of 
rocks  and  landing  on  it,  or  of  being  blown  out  to  sea 
if  you  don't  happen  to  hit  it  ?" 

"  That's  just  about  it,"  replied  Serge,  "  though  some 


138  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

are  shot  in  the  surf,  and  some  are  caught  by  surrounds 
in  the  open  water,  where  they  are  driven  by  a  whole 
fleet  of  bidarkies  until  they  are  out  of  breath  ;  for  an 
otter  is  obliged  to  come  up  every  now  and  then  to 
breathe,  like  a  seal." 

"  And  what  does  it  all  amount  to,  anyway  ?  I  mean, 
what  are  the  pelts  worth  ?" 

"  I  have  known  of  a  single  skin  bringing  as  high  as 
eight  hundred  dollars,"  was  the  answer. 

"Phe-w-w  !"  whistled  Phil.  "No  wonder  they  are 
hunted.  Did  you  say  there  were  any  left  ?" 

"Not  many.  They  used  to  be  found  along  the  en- 
tire American  coast  as  far  south  as  California,  and  on 
the  northeast  coast  of  Asia  as  well;  but  now,  as  I  said, 
they  are  only  to  be  found  in  the  wilder  parts  of 
Alaska." 

"  Who  buys  the  skins  ?" 

"  Traders  who  make  that  their  sole  business,  and 
engage  the  hunters  by  the  year,  paying  them  fifty, 
sixty,  and  even  as  high  as  one  hundred  dollars  a 
skin." 

"  I  mean,  where  do  they  go  finally  ?" 

"  Oh,  to  Russia  and  China  mostly,  where  they  are 
used  to  trim  military  uniforms  and  mandarin  robes." 

"  Well,"  said  Phil,  who  had  been  intensely  interest- 
ed in  all  this,  "  I  don't  know  of  anything  I'd  rather 
get  a  shot  at,  and  if  I  only  had  a  rifle  I'd  try  for  one, 
though  I  suppose  I'd  have  to  have  a  bid — what  do  you 
call  it  ?— too." 

"  A  bidarkie,"  laughed  Serge.  "  No,  not  necessari- 
ly; sea-otters  are  often  shot  in  the  surf  from  the  beach, 
and  then  the  hunter  waits  until  the  waves  bring  the 
body  ashore." 


CHAPTER  XXII 
HOW   JALAP   COOMBS    GOT    HIS   NAME 

WHILE  the  lads  talked  of  sea-otters,  their  compan- 
ion, who  had  cleaned  up  the  dishes  by  the  simple  proc- 
ess of  sweeping  the  remains  of  their  meal  into  the  fire, 
had  been  deliberately  shaving  bits  of  tobacco  from  a 
plug  that  had  fortunately  escaped  a  wetting,  and  fill- 
ing his  beloved  pipe.  This  he  had  lighted  with  a  live 
coal  deftly  picked  up  in  his  callous  fingers,  and  he  now 
sat,  surrounded  by  a  halo  of  fragrant  smoke,  blinking 
in  the  firelight,  a  picture  of  placid  content.  Seizing  the 
opportunity  of  a  pause  in  the  conversation  he  broke  in 
with : 

"  Sea-otters  allers  reminds  me  of  old  Kite  Roberson 
who  once  said,  consarning  'em,  *  Jal ' — he  allers  called 
me  ( Jal,'  short  for  Jalap,  ye  understand — " 

" By-the-way,"  interrupted  Phil,  "you  promised  to 
tell  us  how  you  happened  to  have  such  an  outlan — I 
mean,  such  a  peculiar  name." 

"  So  I  did,  and  so  I  will.  To  begin  with,  I  want  to 
say  that  I  don't  believe  as  a  gineral  thing  in  rebelling 
again'  the  name  your  parents  have  give  ye,  when  like 
as  not  they  didn't  have  nothing  else  to  give.  In  some 
cases,  though,  it's  difficult  to  become  resigned.  I've 
striv  faithful  to  get  reconciled  to  Jalap,  without  get- 
ting an  inch  nearer  to  it  to-day  than  I  was  when  I  fust 
realized  what  a  heathenish  hail  it  war.  Being  the 
youngest  of  thirteen  boys,  and  my  father  allers  hank- 
ering fur  a  gal  baby,  I  was  naturally  a  tumble  disap- 
pointment to  him,  in  addition  to  being  a  mortal  ugly 


140  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

young  duffer  to  look  at.  Seeing  he  was  about  run  out 
of  Scripter  names  for  boys,  my  father  was  hard  put  to 
it  to  know  what  to  call  me,  and  as  christening  day 
drew  nigh  he  was  in  a  wuss  quandary  than  ever. 

"  'Bout  this  time  old  Kite  Roberson — he  was  young 
Kite  then — came  back  from  his  fust  v'y'ge,  which  he 
had  been  four  years  arter  whales  in  the  South  Pacific. 
Now  in  my  town  and  his'n  mussels,  such  as  you  two 
was  eating  just  now,  was  plenty,  and  the  boys  uster 
have  mussel  roasts  as  a  reg'lar  thing.  Kite  was  mortal 
fond  of  'em,  and  seeing  as  he  hadn't  had  none  in  four 
years,  made  up  his  mind  the  fust  thing  when  he  got 
back  to  have  the  biggest  kind  of  a  mussel  roast.  And 
so  he  did.  From  all  accounts  he  must  have  et 
nigh  onto  a  bushel,  and  naturally  they  made  him  so 
sick  that  he  like  to  ha'  died.  Now  old  Mis'  Roberson, 
Kite's  ma,  was  a  master-hand  at  doctorin',  and  what 
she  doctored  with  mostly  was  jalap.  Of  course  she 
give  this  to  Kite,  and  stood  over  him  while  he  swal- 
lowed it,  till  he  didn't  know  which  was  wust,  it  or 
dying. 

"  Fust  time  he  got  round  he  come  over  to  our  house, 
we  being  neighbors,  to  see  me,  which  he  hadn't  ever 
sot  eyes  on  me  afore.  My  father  fetched  me  out,  and 
says,  referring  to  me,  ye  understand,  '  He  ain't  no 
beauty,  is  he?' 

" '  No,'  says  Kite,  who  was  allers  plain-spoken,  *  he 
ain't,  for  a  fact;  and  to  tell  ye  the  truth,  Mr.  Coombs, 
I  can't  think  of  anything  he  favors  so  much  as  he  does 
a  dose  of  jalap.' 

" '  Jalap,'  says  my  father,  meditating  and  turning  of 
the  word  over  in  his  mouth — *  jalap.  It's  bitter  but 
wholesome,  and  as  he's  the  dose  I've  got  to  take 
whether  or  no,  I'll  call  him  Jalap,  and  done  with  it.' 

"  He  kep'  his  word,  and  that's  how  I  come  to  be  sot 
agin  mussels." 


HOW   JALAP    COOMBS    GOT    HIS    NAME  141 

"I  declare!  I  don't  blame  you,  Mr.  Coombs,"  said 
Phil,  laughing  at  this  quaint  bit  of  family  history; 
"  and  if  I  had  been  in  your  place  I  would  have  had  it 
changed  as  soon  as  I  grew  up." 

"  No,"  said  the  mate,  decidedly,  "  that  wouldn't  have 
done,  'cause,  you  see,  it  were  all  owing  to  the  name, 
for  which  Kite  naturally  felt  responserble,  that  he  come 
to  be  so  friendly  with  me.  Sorter  trying  to  make 
up  for  what  he'd  did,  ye  understand;  and  his  friend- 
ship, he  being  a  powerful  smart  man,  made  me  what 
I  be." 

Phil  wanted  to  laugh  again  at  the  evident  pride  with 
which  the  mate  of  the  Seamew  regarded  his  station  in 
life,  but  realizing  that  it  would  be  very  rude,  hastily 
changed  the  subject  by  inquiring:  "By-the-way,  Mr. 
Coombs,  how  soon  do  you  think  we  shall  be  obliged  to 
leave  this  island  ?  If  it  wasn't  for  my  poor  father's 
anxiety  I  should  like  to  stay  here  a  month.  You  see, 
after  what  Serge  has  told  me,  I  find  there  are  ever  so 
many  things  here  that  I  want  to  see.  In  fact,  I  feel  as 
if  I  must  see  a  sea-otter.  That  is,"  he  added,  mischiev- 
ously, "  it  seems  as  if  a  sea-otter  was  the  one  thing  I 
otter  see." 

"  Hey  ?"  ejaculated  the  mate,  taking  his  pipe  from 
his  mouth  and  gazing  at  Phil  as  though  he  feared  some- 
thing had  gone  wrong  with  the  lad.  Then,  as  a  twinkle 
in  the  other's  eye  betrayed  him,  he  exclaimed :  "  Get 
along,  ye  young  villain!  We'll  stay  here  long  enough 
to  let  you  see  all  you  want  of  this  island,  and  more  too, 
ef  I'm  not  mightily  mistaken  in  the  weather.  And  now 
ye'd  best  follow  your  chum's  example  and  turn  in,  for 
ef  ye  ain't  sleepy,  ye  ought  to  be  arter  the  day  we've 
had  and  the  to-morrows  that  is  a-coming." 

So  the  three  castaways  on  that  desolate  northern 
island  slept  on  their  mossy  couch  as  soundly  and  peace- 
fully as  though  in  their  bunks  on  board  the  Seamew  or 


142 

in  the  beds  of  their  distant  homes.  All  night  long  the 
wind  howled  about  the  stout  walls  of  their  shelter,  the 
rain  beat  on  the  canvas  roof  above  them,  and  a  mighty 
roar  from  the  sea  filled  the  air;  but  none  of  these  things 
disturbed  them,  and  not  until  long  after  daylight  did 
one  of  them  awake. 

For  a  solid  week  did  the  tempest  rage  with  unabat- 
ed fury,  and  long  before  the  end  of  that  time  they  were 
wearied  almost  beyond  endurance  with  their  enforced 
inaction  and  monotonous  diet.  To  Phil  in  particular 
did  the  salmon  and  crabs,  that  he  had  thought  so  good 
on  that  first  night,  grow  so  distasteful  that  it  became 
almost  impossible  for  him  to  swallow  the  hated  food. 

During  those  seven  long,  weary  days  they  only  left 
the  hut  when  forced  to  do  so  to  obtain  food,  wood,  or 
water.  Serge  went  as  far  as  the  wreck  of  their  boat, 
where  he  obtained  several  oak  ribs  and  half  a  dozen 
nails.  The  latter  were  ground,  or,  rather,  rubbed 
down  to  sharp  points  by  his  companions,  while  he  bus- 
ied himself  in  cutting  out  two  of  the  great  clumsy- 
looking  wooden  halibut  -  hooks,  such  as  are  used  by 
the  Indians  about  Sitka,  and  specimens  of  which  are 
brought  from  there  by  every  Alaskan  tourist.  At  the 
proper  point  in  each  of  these  he  inserted  one  of  the 
sharpened  nails,  and  Jalap  Coombs  lashed  them  solidly 
into  place  with  bits  of  twine. 

Phil  ridiculed  these,  and  said  that  any  fish  stupid 
enough  to  be  hooked  by  them  deserved  to  be  caught  ; 
but  Serge  only  smiled  the  superior  smile  of  one  who 
knows,  and  answered :  "All  right,  we'll  see  !" 

When  the  gale  finally  blew  itself  out  Phil  did  see, 
and  marvelled  at  the  facility  with  which  codfish  and 
flounders  were  caught  by  these  same  despised  wooden 
hooks,  which  he  was  forced  to  admit  were  as  deadly  as 
the  finest  sproats  or  Limerick  bends  he  had  ever  used. 

One  morning,  at  the  beginning  of  their  second  week 


7 


HOW    JALAP    COOMBS    GOT    HIS    NAME  143 

of  captivity,  the  castaways  were  awakened  by  a  burst 
of  sunshine,  and  sprang  from  their  couch  of  moss  to 
be  greeted  by  as  glorious  a  July  day  as  any  of  them 
had  ever  seen.  It  was  made  up  of  sunshine,  blue  sky, 
a  dimpled  sea,  a  landscape  of  plain,  foot-hill,  and  snow- 
capped mountains  all  glowing  with  the  yellows,  reds, 
purples,  and  greens  of  mosses,  lichens,  and  volcanic 
cliffs.  Above  all,  Shishaldin  reared  his  lofty  crest  that 
his  filmy  smoke-plumes  might  stream  out  bravely  in 
the  crisp  morning  breeze. 

During  the  week  just  past  our  friends  had  discussed 
over  and  over  again  their  plans  for  the  future,  and  had 
decided  that  the  first  thing  was  to  attract  the  atten- 
tion of  some  passing  vessel  that  might  be  induced  to 
take  them  and  their  seal  -  skins  to  Oonalaska.  This 
place,  although  lying  many  miles  to  the  westward,  was 
the  nearest  settlement  and  trading-post,  and  also  the 
point  of  departure  for  the  monthly  steamer  to  Sitka. 
At  Oonalaska  they  would  dispose  of  their  furs.  Phil 
and  Serge  would  engage  passage  for  the  destination 
they  so  longed  to  reach,  and  Jalap  Coombs's  future 
would  be  laid  out  according  to  circumstances.  But 
first  they  must  catch  their  schooner. 

As  vessels  were  more  likely  to  be  seen  on  the  Pa- 
cific than  on  the  Bering  Sea  side  of  the  island,  they  de- 
cided first  of  all  to  climb  a  very  considerable  eleva- 
tion that  rose  almost  directly  from  Krenitzin  Strait, 
and  a  couple  of  miles  south  of  their  camp.  From  this 
they  hoped  to  see  both  waters.  During  their  walk 
they  caught  glimpses  of  several  small  bands  of  car- 
ibou, and  of  one  or  two  distant  moving  objects  that 
Phil  was  certain  must  be  bear.  Never  had  he  wished 
for  a  rifle  so  much  as  now.  Venison  and  bear  meat! 
How  good  either  or  both  of  them  would  taste  !  How 
he  hated  fish  and  longed  for  meat!  But  there  was 
probably  no  gun  of  any  kind  within  a  hundred  miles  of 


144 

him  save  those  that  he  knew  of  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea ; 
so  what  was  the  good  of  wishing  for  one  ? 

They  were  disappointed  to  find  that  the  Pacific  was 
hidden  from  the  elevation  they  ascended  by  another 
rising  beyond  it.  As  they  descended  into  the  valley 
between  the  two,  with  the  intention  of  climbing  the 
second  hill,  they  were  startled  by  the  ringing  report  of 
a  rifle-shot.  A  moment  later  three  caribou  came  fly- 
ing up  the  valley  with  the  speed  of  the  wind,  rushed 
past  them  so  close  that  they  involuntarily  stepped 
back  for  fear  of  being  trampled  underfoot,  and  disap- 
peared. A  fourth  who  was  lagging  behind,  evidently 
wounded,  stumbled,  and  halted  but  a  short  distance 
from  them.  Ere  he  could  resume  his  flight,  a  second 
shot,  still  from  some  unseen  source,  stretched  him  dead 
at  their  feet. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 
KOOGA   THE    ALEUT,  AND    HIS    BIDARKIE 

To  say  that  our  friends  were  startled  by  the  sound 
of  these  rifle-shots  in  that  wilderness,  which  but  a 
minute  before  they  would  have  sworn  did  not  con- 
tain a  human  being  other  than  themselves,  but  feebly 
expresses  their  astonishment  and  joy.  To  them,  or  at 
least  to  Phil  Ryder,  a  rifle-shot  indicated  the  presence 
of  white  men.  These  must  belong  to  a  vessel  that 
would  take  him  and  his  companions  to  some  point 
from  which  passage  might  be  "engaged  for  Sitka. 
Thus,  ere  the  breeze  had  dissipated  the  little  cloud  of 
blue  smoke  from  that  second  shot,  all  the  perplexities 
of  the  situation  had  vanished,  and  Phil  felt  as  though 
the  object  of  his  long  journey  were  at  length  attained. 
To  his  amazement  and  dismay,  the  figure  that  bounded 
into  view  from  behind  a  jutting  point  of  rock  as  the 
caribou  fell  was  not  that  of  a  white  man,  but  of  a 
native.  Although  he  was  clad  in  hat,  shirt,  trousers, 
and  boots  of  the  quality  adopted  by  all  who  lead 
rough  out-of-door  lives,  his  short  figure,  dark  skin, 
and  broad  face  proved  him  to  be  a  full-blooded 
Aleut. 

If  the  castaways  were  surprised  to  see  him,  he  was 
equally  so  at  their  appearance,  and  at  sight  of  them 
stopped  short  in  his  tracks.  Then  with  a  glance  at 
his  caribou  to  assure  himself  that  it  was  dead,  he 
slowly  advanced  towards  where  they  stood. 

Serge,  with  extended  hand,  stepped  forth  to  meet 
him,  and,  in  the  Russian  trade  patois  common  to  that 
10 


146 

coast,  told  him  how  glad  they  were  to  see  him,  and 
asked  how  he  happened  to  be  in  that  place. 

He  replied  that  his  name  was  Kooga,  that  he  had 
come  alone  in  his  bidarkie  from  Oonga  Island  to  act 
as  hunter  for,  and  keep  supplied  with  food  during  the 
next  three  months,  a  party  of  sea-otter-catchers  who 
were  daily  expected  to  reach  that  neighborhood  from 
Oonalaska. 

Having  in  turn  learned  who  the  strangers  were,  and 
expressed  his  gratification  at  meeting  them,  Kooga 
turned  his  attention  to  his  game,  which  he  proceeded 
to  skin  and  cut  up  with  the  utmost  dexterity. 

As  the  others  watched  him  with  hungry  anticipa- 
tions, Serge  continued  to  ply  him  with  questions,  and 
thus  learned  that  he,  like  themselves,  had  been  weather- 
bound on  the  island  by  the  tempest  of  the  past  week, 
but  for  which  his  friends  would  long  since  have  ar- 
rived. Now  he  thought  they  would  leave  Oonalaska 
in  the  traders'  schooner  that  very  day,  and  that  the 
next  one  would  witness  their  arrival  off  that  point  of 
Oonimak  nearest  the  little  outlying  island  of  Saanak, 
where  are  the  best  sea-otter  grounds  of  the  coast. 

"  He  also  says,"  continued  Serge,  interpreting  this 
communication  for  the  benefit  of  the  others,  "  that 
after  leaving  her  hunters  the  schooner  will  run  on  to 
Saanak,  where  she  will  cache  a  store  of  provisions  for 
their  use,  and  will  then  return  to  Oonalaska,  not  to 
come  back  for  three  months." 

"  What  a  splendid  chance  for  us  !"  cried  Phil.  "  It 
is  exactly  such  a  one  as  we  have  been  wanting.  Talk 
about  bad-luck  now  !"  he  added,  with  a  sly  glance  at 
Serge.  "  It  seems  to  me  ours  couldn't  be  much  better 
than  it  is  if  we  had  arranged  it  to  suit  ourselves." 

Serge  paid  no  attention  to  this  remark,  for  he  was 
listening  attentively  to  Kooga,  who  was  again  talking, 
and  saying  that  in  four  days  from  that  time  another 


KOOGA   THE    ALEUT,  AND    HIS    BIDAEKIE  147 

trading-schooner  bound  for  Oonalaska  from  the  east- 
ward was  due  to  pass  close  to  the  north  side  of  Ooni- 
mak  Island. 

"  Better  and  better  !"  exclaimed  Phil,  when  this  was 
translated.  "We  surely  can't  miss  them  both,  and 
must  be  taken  off  by  one  or  the  other.  I  hope  it  will 
be  by  the  sea-otter  fellow,  though,  as  I  should  dearly 
love  to  see  something  of  that  hunting." 

"  And  I,"  said  Jalap  Coombs,  "  hope  it  will  be  by 
the  other  one,  seeing  as  it  will  be  so  much  handier  to 
load  our  seal-skins  into  her." 

"  Oh,  I  had  forgotten  them  !"  replied  Phil,  in  a  tone 
of  disappointment.  "  Yes,  I  suppose  we  must  take  the 
north-side  schooner." 

"You  speak  as  if  you  were  certain  of  catching  either 
one  you  wanted,"  laughed  Serge  ;  "  but,  for  my  part,  I 
think  there  is  a  big  chance  of  missing  both  of  them. 
They  may  pass  in  the  night,  or  in  a  fog,  or  too  far  out 
to  notice  our  signals.  Now  I  propose  that  we  divide 
into  two  parties,  and  watch  at  both  ends  of  the  island 
at  once.  If  Mr.  Coombs  is  willing  to  remain  in  camp 
at  the  north  end,  you  and  I  can  go  with  Kooga  to  the 
south  end,  where  we  may  have  a  chance  to  see  some- 
thing of  sea-otter  hunting.  If  at  the  same  time  we 
can  catch  that  schooner,  and  persuade  her  to  come 
round  to  this  side  of  the  island,  we  shaVt  need  the 
other.  If  we  miss  her,  or  she  refuses  to  take  us,  we 
shall  still  have  plenty  of  time  to  get  back  here  before 
the  other  is  due." 

"  Good  for  you,  Serge  !"  shouted  Phil.  "  That's  an 
immense  scheme,  and  I  don't  see  why  I  didn't  think  of 
it  myself,  only  I  never  do  think  of  things  until  after- 
wards." 

"It  shows  the  result  of  a  sea-training,"  said  Jalap 
Coombs.  "I  was  jest  a-considering  of  that  same  plan, 
and  would  have  laid  it  afore  all  hands  arter  dinner, 


148  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

which,  it  seems  to  me,  is  the  thing  to  be  thought  of 
fust.  So  now,  if  our  oakum-colored  friend  will  give 
us  a  hunk  of  his  meat,  we'll  lay  a  course  for  our  own 
galley  fire  over  yonder.  Arter  stowing  a  cargo  of 
grub  we'll  consider  what's  the  next  thing  to  be  did." 

"  That  suits  me  exactly,"  agreed  Phil,  who  had  been 
casting  longing  eyes  at  the  tempting-looking  venison, 
"and  the  sooner  that  plan  is  carried  out  the  better. 
So  open  negotiations  at  once — won't  you,  Serge,  like 
a  good  fellow  ?  I  don't  believe  I  ever  was  more  nearly 
starved." 

Serge  laughed,  and  after  a  few  minutes'  conversa- 
tion with  Kooga,  informed  his  companions  that  the 
native  was  perfectly  willing  to  go  with  them  to  the 
barrabkie,  and  that  they  were  welcome  to  all  the  meat 
they  wanted,  as  his  bidarkie  would  not  hold  half  of  it. 
The  fact  is  that  the  young  Aleut  was  fully  as  hungry 
as  they,  and  possessed  of  an  equal  longing  for  fresh 
meat,  the  gale  having  so  interfered  with  his  hunting 
as  to  compel  him  to  live  on  shell-fish  ever  since  he 
reached  the  island. 

This  being  settled,  all  four  loaded  themselves  with 
venison  and  followed  Kooga's  lead  to  the  place  where 
he  had  made  his  lonely  and  cheerless  camp,  and  where 
his  bidarkie  was  carefully  hauled  up  on  the  beach  be- 
yond high -water  mark.  His  shelter  was  a  tiny  A 
tent,  supported  by  paddles  and  spears,  and  pitched  in 
the  lee  of  a  huge  bowlder.  A  quantity  of  moss  heaped 
within  it  had  formed  for  him  a  bed  similar  to  that  of 
our  castaways.  He  had  not,  however,  been  able  to 
make  a  fire,  his  supply  of  tinder  being  wet,  and  he  not 
having  had  the  good -fortune  to  discover  an  eider- 
duck's  nest. 

The  bidarkie  excited  Phil's  curiosity  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  it  seemed  as  though  he  would  never  weary  of 
examining  it.  It  was  one  of  the  two-holed  craft,  and 


KOOGA    THE    ALEUT,   AND    HIS    BIDAKKIE  149 

"*S^',      . 

after  it  had  been  carefully  launched  and  laden  the 
Yankee  lad  asked  Serge  if  he  thought  Kooga  would 
allow  him  to  occupy  its  vacant  hatch  for  the  short 
cruise. 

When  Serge  made  the  request  the  young  native 
looked  dubious,  and  shook  his  head.  He  had  seen  too 
many  self-confident  white  men  spilled  into  the  icy 
waters  of  that  coast  from  those  ticklish  craft ;  but  as 
Phil  insisted,  he  finally  yielded  a  reluctant  consent. 
He,  of  course,  did  not  know  that  the  white  lad  had 
been  considered  the  most  expert  canoeman  in  New 
London,  or  that  his  own  canoe  was  a  tiny-decked  affair 
of  cedar  every  whit  as  crank  as  this  bidarkie.  His 
eyes  therefore  opened  wide  with  surprise  as  his  new 
companion  stepped  lightly  into  the  canoe  and  settled 
himself  in  its  forward  hatch,  with  all  the  confidence  of 
one  who  had  always  been  accustomed  to  such  things. 
When,  in  addition  to  this,  Phil  seized  a  double-bladed 
paddle  and  began  to  wield  it  with  the  practised  skill 
of  an  old  canoeman,  the  young  Aleut  actually  laughed 
aloud  with  gratified  amazement. 

As  under  the  influence  of  its  two  well-handled  pad- 
dles the  light  craft  shot  away  up  the  strait,  Jalap 
Coombs  and  Serge  watched  it  with  a  feeling  of  pride 
that  their  companion  should  thus  prove  himself  the 
equal  of  a  native  in  one  of  his  own  especial  lines  of 
business.  The  mate  was  especially  outspoken  in  his 
admiration  of  this  feat,  which  would  have  been  as  im- 
possible to  him  as  the  navigating  of  a  balloon.  "  I 
don't  believe  even  old  Kite  Roberson  hisself  could 
have  done  it  any  handier,"  he  said,  as  he  resumed  his 
burden  of  venison,  and  started  with  it  along-shore  in 
the  direction  of  the  barrabkie. 

The  canoe  reached  a  point  opposite  the  hut  some 
time  before  the  others,  and  when  they  got  there  it  was 
already  unloaded.  Most  of  its  cargo  had  been  trans- 


150  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

ferred  to  the  hut,  and  its  occupants  were  just  return- 
ing for  the  few  things  that  were  left.  Among  these 
was  Kooga's  rifle,  which  Phil  picked  up  and  examined 
with  interest.  He  marvelled  to  find  it  so  good  a  one, 
for  it  was  a  Winchester  of  the  latest  pattern.  As  he 
lifted  it  to  his  shoulder  and  sighted  it  his  eye  was 
caught  by  a  slight  movement  on  a  small  rock  nearly 
half  a  mile  out  in  the  strait.  A  hair-seal  which  had 
been  sleeping  there  had  just  lifted  its  head.  At  that 
distance  it  did  not  look  larger  than  a  man's  fist. 

Phil  drew  Kooga's  attention  to  it  and  offered  him 
the  rifle,  signifying  by  motions  that  he  should  shoot ; 
but  the  native  shook  his  head  decisively,  and  gave  the 
former  to  understand  that  the  mark  was  too  small  for 
such  a  distance.  Upon  this  the  Yankee  lad,  carefully 
adjusting  the  sights  of  the  rifle,  and  assuring  himself 
that  there  was  a  cartridge  in  its  chamber,  took  a  delib- 
erate aim  and  fired. 

The  seal  dropped  its  head  as  though  it  had  again 
gone  to  sleep,  and  the  native  smiled. 

"  Tell  him  to  go  and  get  it,"  said  Phil  to  Serge,  who 
came  up  at  that  moment.  When  the  latter  repeated 
this  request  Kooga's  pitying  smile  changed  to  an  ex- 
pression of  incredulity.  Nevertheless,  he  again  placed 
his  canoe  in  the  water  and  paddled  away.  When  he 
returned  with  the  dead  seal,  shot  directly  through  the 
brain,  his  expression  was  one  of  amazement. 

"  He  must  be  the  white  man  who  makes  guns,"  he 
said  to  Serge,  "  and  command  them  to  do  his  will. 
Take  him  away  from  here  soon,  for  if  he  once  gets 
among  the  kahlan  [sea -otter]  he  will  leave  none  for 
us." 

A  sea-otter  hunt  was,  however,  the  one  thing  upon 
which  Phil  Ryder's  heart  was  most  set  just  then.  Not 
only  that,  but  he  had  determined  to  go  on  one  in  Koo- 
ga's  company. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
A   DOUBLE    WATCH    FOK    SCHOONERS 

KOOGA  the  Aleut  spent  the  rest  of  that  day  and  the 
following  night  with  his  new-found  friends.  The  din- 
ner, to  which  all  of  them  had  looked  forward  with  such 
interest,  proved  a  great  success.  From  his  bidarkie  the 
young  native  produced  a  small  brass  kettle,  in  which 
they  made  a  venison  stew  that  they  ate  with  mussel- 
shell  spoons.  He  also  brought  forth  a  basket  so  exqui- 
sitely woven  of  native  grasses  as  to  be  perfectly  water- 
tight. In  this  was  his  choicest  treasure,  a  brick  of 
tea,  such  as  the  Western  Aleuts  procure  from  Rus- 
sian traders,  and  which  they  guard  with  most  jealous 
care.  From  this,  after  the  stew  had  disappeared  and 
the  kettle  was  thoroughly  cleansed,  he  treated  himself 
and  his  friends  to  a  brewing  of  the  fragrant  leaf. 

In  the  meantime  bits  of  venison  and  seal  meat  were 
cooking  and  being  eaten  on  all  sides,  while  Kooga  ev- 
ery now  and  then  allowed  himself  an  extra  relish  in  the 
shape  of  a  strip  of  raw  seal  blubber.  He  also  showed 
the  others  how  to  roast  the  larger  caribou  bones,  and 
extract  from  them  the  marrow,  which  Phil,  tasting  for 
the  first  time,  pronounced  "  immense." 

After  the  feast  came  to  an  end,  owing  to  the  inabil- 
ity of  its  guests  to  eat  another  mouthful,  Kooga  taught 
them  to  build  a  low  scaffold  of  drift-wood,  on  which  to 
smoke  and  dry  by  fire-heat  strips  of  venison  and  split 
salmon.  In  procuring  wood  for  this  purpose,  he  and 
Phil  visited  the  wrecked  whale-boat.  The  tide  was 
low,  and  while  wandering  about  in  the  vicinity  of  the 


152  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

wreck,  the  keen  eye  of  the  Aleut  detected  something 
buried  in  kelp  at  the  edge  of  the  breakers.  Drawing 
this  forth,  he  laid  it  at  Phil's  feet.  To  the  lad's  aston- 
ishment, it  proved  to  be  his  bag  of  water-proof  rifle- 
cartridges,  lost  when  the  wreck  occurred.  For  an  hour 
or  more  they  searched  among  the  slippery  rocks  with 
the  hope  of  finding  one  or  both  of  the  lost  guns,  but 
without  success.  Then,  as  the  recovered  cartridges 
were  of  no  use  to  him,  Phil  presented  them  to  Kooga, 
whose  rifle  they  exactly  fitted,  to  the  immense  gratifi- 
cation of  that  young  Aleut. 

It  having  been  decided  that  the  plan  proposed  by 
Serge  should  be  carried  out,  and  a  quantity  of  food 
having  been  prepared  both  for  taking  and  for  leaving 
behind,  the  two  white  lads  and  their  native  guide  made 
an  early  start  for  the  south  side  of  the  island  the  next 
morning.  Jalap  Coombs  remained  at  the  barrabkie, 
to  which  they  promised  to  return  in  a  day  or  two,  or 
at  least  before  the  four  days,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
a  schooner  might  be  expected  on  that  side,  should  have 
elapsed. 

Phil  and  Kooga,  who  had  struck  up  a  wonderful  inti- 
macy, went  in  the  bidarkie,  which  also  carried  their 
very  simple  camp  outfit,  while  Serge  followed  down 
the  shore  of  the  strait. 

As  the  little  party  set  forth,  Jalap  Coombs  called 
after  them,  "  Mind,  boys,  and  get  back  as  quick  as  ever 
ye  can,  either  with  or  without  the  schooner,  for  we'll 
be  tumble  lonely  while  ye're  gone — me  and  old  Kite 
Roberson  will." 

Owing  to  the  intricate  and  dangerous  navigation  of 
Krenitzin  Strait,  which  necessitated  long  detours  and 
occasioned  many  delays,  the  bidarkie  did  not  reach  the 
south  side  of  the  island  much  before  Serge,  who  had 
put  in  twenty  miles  or  so  of  the  toughest  kind  of 
tramping  without  a  halt. 


A   DOUBLE    WATCH    FOR    SCHOONERS  153 

It  did  not  take  them  long  to  pitch  the  little  tent  and 
collect  materials  for  a  fire,  which  Kooga  lighted  with- 
out difficulty  by  means  of  an  old-fashioned  flint  and 
steel,  his  tinder  being  now  perfectly  dry.  Drift-wood 
was  so  scarce  on  that  side  of  the  island  that  they  were 
obliged  to  content  themselves  with  a  very  small  blaze. 
It  was  sufficient,  however,  to  boil  water  for  a  kettle  of 
tea,  and  this,  with  a  few  strips  of  dried  venison  toasted 
on  the  coals,  constituted  a  meal  that  even  Phil  declared 
was  better  than  some  he  had  eaten. 

After  dinner,  as  there  were  still  some  hours  of  day- 
light left  and  no  schooner  was  in  sight,  Serge,  wishing 
to  try  for  a  halibut  with  one  of  his  home-made  hooks, 
proposed  to  Kooga  to  take  him  a  short  distance  from 
shore  in  the  bidarkie — a  proposal  to  which  the  latter 
readily  acceded. 

So  they  went  fishing,  and  Phil,  still  incredulous  as 
to  their  success  with  such  rude  tackle,  sat  on  the  edge 
of  a  precipitous  cliff  and  watched  them.  As  he  sat 
there  he  could  not  help  feeling  very  lonely  and  rather 
homesick.  His  thoughts  turned  towards  the  father 
whom  he  loved  so  dearly.  He  wondered  if  he  were 
very  anxious  about  him,  and  whether  he  had  gone  to 
Victoria  to  search  for  him,  or  were  still  awaiting  his 
coming  in  Sitka. 

"  Oh  dear,"  sighed  the  lad,  "  how  wretchedly  I  have 
mixed  things  up,  anyway !  Just  as  Aunt  Ruth  said  I 
would,  too.  No  matter.  I'm  on  the  right  track  at  last, 
and  I  must  reach  Sitka  very  soon  now.  If  I  don't,  it 
won't  be  my  fault,  anyhow.  I  wonder  if  Aunt  Ruth 
has  heard  that  I  am  lost,  and  what  she  would  say  if 
she  could  see  me  at  this  minute." 

With  this  he  glanced  about  him,  and  the  vastness  of 
his  own  surroundings  filled  him  with  a  sense  of  his  own 
insignificance  and  weakness.  Before  him  was  out-spread 
the  limitless  Pacific,  whose  mighty  billows  surged  and 


154  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

thundered  against  the  black  rocks  hundreds  of  feet 
below.  In  the  immeasurable  distance  the  sun  was 
sinking  beneath  the  heaving  waters.  Behind  him 
towered  a  range  of  frowning  mountains,  their  gaunt 
frames  seared  and  riven  by  the  Plutonic  forces  whose 
ominous  banner  still  floated  from  Shishaldin's  lofty 
crest.  A  few  sea-fowl  circled  and  screamed  about  his 
head.  How  terrible  it  was  to  be  there  alone  !  Phil 
laughed  for  human  companionship,  and  wished  the 
other  fellows  would  come  back. 

Suddenly  he  started  up  in  affright.  The  bidarkie 
was  not  where  he  had  last  seen  it.  What  had  hap- 
pened ?  Was  he  indeed  alone  in  that  awful  place  ? 
No  ;  there  it  was,  and  Phil  heaved  a  great  sigh  of 
relief.  But  how  far  away  it  was  !  How  could  they 
have  gained  such  a  distance  so  quickly?  Now  it 
seemed  to  be  coming  towards  him  again,  and  at  a 
tremendous  speed.  What  could  it  all  mean  ?  He 
rubbed  his  eyes  to  be  sure  they  were  not  playing 
him  false.  That  they  were  not  was  proved  by  a 
sight  of  the  frail  craft  right  abreast  of  him,  but  mad- 
ly dashing  past,  and  above  the  surge  of  breakers 
the  shouts  of  his  companions  came  faintly  to  his 
ears. 

For  nearly  an  hour  were  the  erratic  movements  of 
the  bidarkie  continued,  and  then  slowly  and  heavily  it 
approached  the  shore.  Phil  ran  back  and  down  the 
roundabout  way  leading  to  the  beach  to  meet  it. 
When  he  reached  the  water's  edge  he  found  the  oth- 
ers already  on  shore,  and  just  landing  a  halibut  so 
huge  that  both  the  white  lads  estimated  it  to  weigh 
fully  two  hundred  pounds. 

"  You  see,"  explained  Serge,  "  we  couldn't  get  it  into 
the  canoe,  or  kill  it,  or  do  anything  except  let  it  tow  us 
round  till  it  was  tired  out.  Finally  we  got  close  enough 
for  Kooga  to  spear  it,  and  then  we  took  our  turn  at  tow- 


A  DOUBLE  WATCH  FOR  SCHOONERS       155 

ing.  The  hook  held,  though,  and  I  don't  believe  it 
would  if  it  hadn't  been  a  good  one." 

"  It  certainly  is  a  good  one  !"  exclaimed  Phil,  "  and 
I  will  never  say  another  word  against  that  style  of 
tackle.  But,  oh,  Serge,  it  was  horrid  here  while  you 
were  gone,  and  I  hope  you  won't  ever  leave  me  alone 
in  such  a  place  again." 

"All  right,  old  fellow,  I  won't,"  replied  Serge, 
heartily. 

After  securing  the  precious  bidarkie  in  a  place 
of  safety,  and  cutting  a  few  steaks  from  the  great 
halibut,  the  three  lads  returned  to  camp,  where  they 
passed  their  evening  in  cooking  and  eating  another 
meal. 

"  I  don't  know  how  it  is,"  remarked  Phil,  meditative- 
ly, as  he  washed  the  dishes  by  thrusting  his  sheath- 
knife  into  a  tuft  of  moss,  "but  there  seems  to  be 
something  in  the  air  of  this  country  that  makes  a  fel- 
low want  to  eat  about  a  dozen  meals  a  day." 

There  seemed  to  be  something  in  the  air  that  com- 
pelled sleep,  too.  As  there  was  a  moon,  the  others 
agreed  to  Phil's  proposition,  born  of  his  recent  re- 
solves, to  take  turns  in  watching  all  night  for  the 
schooner.  Kooga,  to  whom  the  plan  was  explained  by 
Serge,  was  to  take  the  first,  Serge  the  midnight,  and 
Phil  the  morning  watch.  This  scheme  was  carried 
out  as  arranged,  except  that  the  rising  sun  found  the 
last  watcher  sound  asleep.  Awakened  by  its  warm 
beams,  he  cast  a  glance  at  the  sea,  sprang  to  his  feet, 
rubbed  his  eyes,  and  looked  again.  Then  he  gave  a 
shout  that  brought  the  others  to  his  side. 

The  sight  that  met  their  gaze  was  that  of  a  placid 
sea,  with  a  dozen  bidarkies,  fully  two  miles  away, 
stretched  out  in  a  long  line  on  its  heaving  bosom. 
Beyond  them  were  the  white  sails  of  a  schooner  head- 
ed to  the  eastward. 


156 

"  How  could  she  have  got  past  without  you  seeing 
her  ?"  asked  Serge. 

"  I'm  sure  I  don't  know,"  answered  Phil,  "  unless  it 
was  that  I  had  closed  my  eyes  for  a  minute.  You  see, 
I  was  so  awfully  sleepy  that  I  had  the  hardest  kind  of 
work  to  keep  them  open.  Now  I'll  tell  you  what, 
though:  Kooga  and  I  will  go  out  and  overtake  those 
bidarkies  and  find  out  when  the  schooner  is  coming 
back.  We  can  catch  them  easy  enough,  for  they  seem 
to  be  waiting  for  something.  I  shouldn't  wonder  if 
they  were  going  to  make  a  surround,  which  is  what  I 
want  to  see  more  than  anything." 

"  Well,"  agreed  Serge,  hesitatingly;  "  but  don't  you 
think  I'd  better  go,  as  I  can  understand  what  they 
say  ?" 

"  Oh,  that'll  be  all  right,"  replied  Phil,  confidently. 
"  There  are  sure  to  be  some  among  them  who  can  speak 
enough  English  to  tell  me  what  I  want  to  find  out." 

"  And  you  will  be  back  before  night  ?" 

"  Of  course.     Probably  inside  of  a  couple  of  hours." 

Serge  hurriedly  explained  Phil's  proposal  to  Kooga, 
and  that  shrewd  native,  glad  to  have  the  company  of  so 
mighty  a  hunter  as  the  Yankee  lad,  willingly  agreed  to 
take  him  along  and  show  him  how  sea-otters  are  captured. 

Then  he  hastily  collected  his  weapons,  and  taking 
with  him  a  few  strips  of  dried  meat  to  be  eaten  as 
they  went,  the  young  Aleut  led  the  way  to  the  cove, 
where  his  bidarkie  was  hauled  up. 

Phil,  also  snatching  up  some  strips  of  meat,  quickly 
followed,  and  Serge  went  down  to  see  them  off. 

"  Don't  forget,  Phil,  that  you're  to  be  back  before 
dark  !"  he  shouted,  as  the  light  craft  shot  out  from 
the  cove. 

"  Never  you  fear,  old  man  !"  came  back  in  laughing 
tones. 

He  who  was  left  climbed  up  to  the  place  Phil  had 


A  DOUBLE  WATCH  FOK  SCHOONERS       157 

occupied  the  evening  before,  and  watched  the  fleet  of 
bidarkies  until  all  of  them  had  vanished  in  the  dim  dis- 
tance. Then,  with  many  misgivings  as  to  the  wisdom 
of  the  plan  just  pursued,  Serge  turned  slowly  away  to 
prepare  his  solitary  breakfast. 


CHAPTER  XXV 
HUNTING    THE    SEA-OTTER 

ALTHOUGH  the  long  line  of  bidarkies  of  which  Phil 
Ryder  and  his  Aleut  companion  had  started  in  pur- 
suit were  apparently  moving  very  slowly,  as  seen  from 
a  distance  of  two  miles,  they  were  in  reality  skim- 
ming the  water  with  swiftness  and  in  perfect  silence. 
Their  occupants,  while  wielding  their  double -bladed 
paddles  without  a  splash,  and  keeping  the  canoes  well 
abreast  of  each  other  at  intervals  of  a  few  hundred 
feet,  maintained  a  keen  watch  for  the  slightest  token 
of  a  sea-otter's  presence. 

Suddenly  one  man  makes  a  silent  signal  that  is 
flashed  in  an  instant  along  the  entire  line.  He  has 
caught  a  glimpse  of  one  of  the  coveted  animals  appar- 
ently asleep.  Although  no  word  is  spoken,  and  no 
sound  comes  from  end  to  end  of  the  little  fleet,  the 
sharp-witted  animal  takes  the  alarm  almost  at  the  mo- 
ment of  discovery,  and  dives  like  a  shot  to  the  very 
bottom  of  the  sea,  leaving  only  a  bubbling  wake  to 
mark  his  descent. 

A  few  powerful  strokes  bring  the  bidarkie  of  the 
discoverer  to  the  spot.  There  it  is  abruptly  halted, 
and  the  hunter  holds  his  paddle  aloft  while  the  others 
skim  over  the  water  like  a  flight  of  birds,  until  they  have 
ranged  themselves  in  a  great  circle  half  a  mile  in  di- 
ameter about  him.  The  otter  must  come  up  to  breathe 
within  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes,  and  when  he  does 
so  some  one  of  the  thirty  pairs  of  keen-sighted  eyes  so 
eagerly  watching  for  him  is  sure  to  detect  the  act, 


HUNTING   THE    SEA-OTTEK  159 

even  though  he  should  show  only  the  tip  of  his  nose. 
A  wild  yell  announces  the  discovery  ;  the  hunted  ani- 
mal again  dives ;  another  bidarkie,  with  uplifted  paddle, 
marks  the  spot,  and  again  the  circle  is  formed.  Thus 
the  unfortunate  otter,  coming  to  the  surface  at  short- 
er and  shorter  intervals,  is  made  to  dive  and  dive 
again,  never  being  allowed  to  draw  a  full  breath,  un- 
til at  the  end  of  two  or  three  hours  he  floats  on  the 
surface  completely  exhausted,  and  falls  an  easy  victim 
to  the  nearest  spear. 

To  an  uninterested  observer  it  is  a  pitiful  sight  to 
see  a  defenceless  and  harmless  creature  thus  hunted 
to  its  death.  At  the  same  time  the  pursuit  is  possessed 
of  the  fascination  that  always  attends  the  matching 
of  human  skill  against  animal  cunning  and  powers 
of  endurance.  Then,  too,  there  is  the  excitement  of 
ever  -  present  danger  in  thus  venturing  into  the  open 
sea,  almost  beyond  sight  of  land,  in  such  cockle-shells 
as  Aleutian  bidarkies.  In  that  region  of  sudden  squalls 
and  fierce  gales,  dense  fogs  that  settle  over  the  water 
like  vast  smothering  blankets  almost  without  warning 
— huge  whales  and  other  sea-monsters  that  are  always 
rising  to  the  surface,  and  whose  slightest  touch  would 
overturn  a  bidarkie  as  though  it  were  a  feather — the 
uncertainties  of  an  otter  -  hunter's  life  are  many  and 
constant. 

Two  surrounds  and  captures  had  been  made  by  the 
hunting-fleet  in  which  we  are  interested  ere,  some  time 
in  the  afternoon,  it  was  finally  overtaken  by  the  bid- 
arkie containing  Phil  Ryder  and  his  Aleut  compan- 
ion. They  were  just  in  time  to  participate  in  a  third 
surround,  every  movement  of  which  the  white  lad 
watched  with  lively  interest. 

This  was  the  longest  chase  of  the  day,  and  the  sun 
was  disappearing  behind  an  ominous  -  looking  cloud- 
bank  before  it  was  concluded.  During  its  continuance 


160  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

there  was  no  opportunity  to  communicate  with  the 
hunters.  The  moment  the  capture  was  effected  the 
entire  fleet  was  headed  towards  a  distant  island,  barely 
discernible  to  the  eastward,  and  was  urged  with  all 
speed  in  that  direction. 

Under  the  circumstances  there  was  nothing  for  our 
friends  to  do  but  to  follow  them,  and  it  is  doubtful  if 
Phil  could  have  induced  Kooga  to  do  otherwise  even 
had  he  been  so  inclined.  He  was  not,  however,  for  he 
realized  that  it  would  now  be  impossible  to  regain  their 
starting-point  of  the  morning  before  dark.  Besides, 
he  had  not  yet  gained  the  information  concerning  the 
schooner's  movements  for  which  he  had  set  out.  So 
he  must  spend  a  night  with  the  otter  -  hunters,  and 
with  the  first  streak  of  daylight  he  would  set  forth  on 
his  return  journey  to  Oonimak  and  Serge. 

"  Poor  Serge  !  what  a  lonely  night  this  will  be  for 
him,"  reflected  Phil,  remembering  his  own  brief  expe- 
rience of  the  evening  before.  "It  can't  be  helped 
now,  though,  and  I'm  awfully  glad  it  isn't  my  fault." 
In  spite  of  this  the  lad's  conscience  insisted  on  whis- 
pering, "You  know  you  came  out  to  see  the  otter- 
hunt  rather  than  to  gain  information,  for  Serge  could 
have  done  that  much  better  than  you." 

"Pshaw  !"  muttered  Phil,  "that's  not  true,  to  begin 
with ;  and  even  if  it  were,  what  difference  will  a  single 
night  make,  anyway  ?  I  guess  Serge  can  stand  it,  for 
he  is  more  used  to  such  things  than  I  am.  Then,  too,  I 
am  certain  the  schooner  has  not  gone  back  yet,  for  she 
couldn't  have  passed  without  me  seeing  her." 

When  the  little  fleet  finally  made  a  landing  by  the 
last  of  the  twilight,  and  after  a  wearisome  paddle  of 
many  miles,  it  was  on  the  small  outlying  and  terribly 
rugged  island  of  Saanak,  the  favorite  haunt  of  the  sea- 
otter  and  the  point  at  which  the  bulk  of  the  world's 
supply  of  this  immensely  valuable  fur  is  obtained. 


HUNTING   THE    SEA-OTTER  161 

Here  the  swarthy  hunters  glanced  askance  at  the 
white  lad,  and  not  until  Kooga  had  given  a  long  expla- 
nation of  how  he  happened  to  be  there,  and  a  glowing 
account  of  Phil's  wonderful  skill  with  the  rifle,  did 
they  consent  to  admit  him  to  a  share  of  their  scanty 
food  supplies  and  still  scantier  shelter. 

Although  Phil  did  not,  of  course,  understand  a  word 
of  all  this,  he  guessed  what  was  being  said,  and  was 
provoked  that  he  should  have  placed  himself  in  such  a 
position.  To  his  further  chagrin,  he  could  not  discover 
one  among  all  the  hunters  who  could  speak  a  word  of 
English.  So  Serge  had  been  right,  and  he  had  acted 
the  part  of  a  headstrong  fool,  after  all. 

While  his  hunger  forced  him  to  eat  a  share  of  the 
hunters'  supper,  which  consisted  of  nearly  raw  meat, 
sea-biscuit  so  hard  that  they  made  his  teeth  ache,  and 
a  cup  of  tea  as  strong  as  lye,  he  did  not  relish  it,  and 
his  thoughts  turned  with  longing  to  the  once  despised 
cabin  mess  of  the  /Seamew.  As  for  the  dainty  home- 
table  presided  over  by  his  dear  Aunt  Ruth,  he  dared 
not  think  of  it. 

If  his  supper  was  bad,  how  much  worse  were  the 
sleeping  accommodations  that  the  bitter  chill  of  the 
night  forced  him  to  share  !  As  the  cold  wind  swept 
in  from  the  sea  with  ever-increasing  force  and  charged 
with  stinging  sleet,  it  compelled  all  hands  to  crawl  into 
the  few  wretched  little  tents,  open  at  both  ends,  that 
afforded  their  only  shelter  from  the  inclement  weather. 
They  had  no  blankets,  nor  bedding  of  any  description, 
and  were  forced  to  huddle  together  for  warmth. 

As  poor  Phil  thus  lay  on  the  bare  rocks  between 
Kooga  and  another  not  over-cleanly  Aleut,  his  mind 
once  more  reverted  to  his  far-distant  home,  with  its 
innumerable  comforts,  that  he  had  once  accepted  as  a 
matter  of  course,  without  a  thought  of  how  they  were 
provided  or  any  feeling  of  gratitude  for  them. 
11 


162  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  Oh  dear  !  what  wouldn't  I  give  for  a  few  of  those 
things  at  this  minute  !"  reflected  poor  Phil.  "  A  warm 
house,  for  instance,  and  a  clean  soft  bed,  and  clean 
clothes  and  soap  and  towels,  and  a  brush  and  comb, 
and,  above  all,  for  one  of  Aunt  Ruth's  delicious  sup- 
pers. But  what  is  the  use  !  I  can't  have  them,  and  I 
am  having  just  what  I  set  out  for — a  trip  to  Alaska 
and  a  sea-otter  hunt.  This  misery  will  be  over  in  a 
few  hours  at  any  rate,  for  I  shall  make  Kooga  take 
me  out  of  this  in  the  morning,  and  in  a  week  or  so 
from  now  I  shall  be  looking  back  on  it  from  Sitka, 
and  telling  of  it  as  a  most  interesting  experience." 

Alas  for  Phil's  hopes !  When  the  morning  light 
came  it  revealed  such  a  mighty  sea  rolling  in  under 
the  lashings  of  a  southwesterly  gale,  and  furiously 
hurling  itself  against  the  rock-bound  coast,  as  would 
have  prohibited  the  launching  of  a  life -boat,  much 
more  a  bidarkie.  For  three  days  did  the  gale  con- 
tinue, and  for  three  days  did  it  hold  Phil  Ryder  and 
the  native  hunters  close  prisoners  on  the  island  of  Saa- 
nak.  At  first  the  former  raged  at  his  detention  almost 
as  furiously  as  did  the  gale  itself,  though  after  a  while 
he  wisely  determined  to  make  the  best  of  the  situation, 
and  discover  whatever  good  points  it  possessed. 

As  the  wind  came  off  the  sea,  they  could  build  as 
many  fires  as  they  chose  without  fear  of  alarming  the 
wily  game  of  which  they  had  come  in  pursuit.  Thus 
they  could  cook  food  and  make  tea,  which,  under  the 
circumstances,  was  of  inestimable  comfort.  In  these 
occupations,  together  with  smoking  and  sleeping,  most 
of  the  hunters  spent  their  time.  On  the  second  day, 
Kooga,  taking  his  rifle  and  inviting  Phil  by  signs  to 
accompany  him,  set  forth  in  search  of  sea-lions,  which 
are  highly  esteemed  as  food  by  all  natives  of  those 
northern  regions.  They  also  use  its  skin  in  making 
their  boats,  its  intestines  for  their  water -proof  gar- 


*, 


HUNTING    THE    SEA-OTTER  163 

ments,  its  back-sinews  in  place  of  thread'^  while  the  oil 
extracted  from  its  blubber  affords  them  both  light  and 
fuel. 

As  the  sea-lion  is  extremely  shy  and  difficult  to  ap- 
proach in  the  daytime,  he  is  generally  hunted  on  moon- 
lit nights.  He  is  more  than  twice  as  large  as  the  fur- 
seal,  but,  like  the  latter,  is  a  fearless  swimmer,  and 
delights  to  sport  in  the  heaviest  seas  at  the  very  point 
where  they  break  and  hurl  themselves  against  a  rock- 
bound  coast.  Like  the  seal,  too,  the  sea-lion  loves  to 
haul  itself  from  the  water,  and,  climbing  the  most  rug- 
ged rocks,  lie  and  bask  for  hours. 

Realizing  the  difficulty  as  well  as  the  importance  of 
obtaining  a  sea-lion,  as  food  was  becoming  scarce  in 
camp,  Kooga  took  Phil  with  him  on  this  hunt,  in  the 
hope  that  the  lad  might  be  induced  to  make  some  of 
his  marvellous  shots.  Nor  was  he  mistaken,  for,  after 
a  long  and  painful  stalking  of  a  small  herd  of  these 
animals,  Phil  shot  and  killed  two  at  a  distance  of  over 
five  hundred  yards.  On  their  way  back  to  camp,  where 
the  entire  body  of  hunters  was  turned  out  to  go  for 
their  game,  Phil  had  the  further  good-fortune  to  shoot 
an  otter  that  was  sporting  far  out  in  the  surf.  He 
waited  to  secure  its  body,  while  Kooga  ran  on  with 
the  joyful  news'. 

As  the  natives  came  trooping  up  the  beach  they  re- 
garded the  young  white  hunter  with  respect  and  admira- 
tion, while  they  greeted  with  extravagant  delight  the 
courtesy  that  led  Phil  to  turn  his  first  sea-otter  into 
the  common  stock  of  the  party.  On  the  following  day, 
after  hours  of  weary  and  motionless  watching,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  killing  two  more  otters,  one  of  which  he  gave 
to  Kooga,  while  keeping  the  skin  of  the  other  for  him- 
self. 

The  gale  blew  itself  out  during  the  third  night,  and 
very  early  in  the  morning  of  the  fourth  day  Phil 


164  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

awoke  his  Aleut  companion,  to  whom  he  indicated  by 
signs  that  it  was  time  for  them,  to  be  gone.  Upon  this 
Kooga  woke  another  native,  and  talked  earnestly  to 
him  for  a  few  moments.  Then,  to  Phil's  amazement, 
this  fellow  turned  to  him  and  said,  in  tolerable  English: 

"  Why  you  go  ?  Schooner  gone  three  day,  bime-by. 
You  no  catch  him.  Better  you  stay,  hunt,  catch  plenty 
money.  No  go." 

"You  miserable  rascal!"  shouted  Phil,  seizing  the 
speaker  by  the  collar  and  shaking  him  violently. 
"  You  have  been  able  to  talk  United  States  all  this  time, 
have  you,  and  wouldn't  ?  Now  you  want  me  to  stay 
and  hunt  for  you !  Well,  I'll  see  you  hanged  first ! 
So  you  tell  Kooga  that  if  he  isn't  ready  inside  of  five 
minutes  to  carry  me  back  to  where  he  brought  me 
from,  I'll  fix  his  miserable  rifle  so  that  it  will  never 
shoot  again." 

This  awful  threat,  together  with  the  white  lad's 
furious  aspect  and  loud  voice,  so  alarmed  the  natives 
that  they  were  only  too  glad  to  get  rid  of  so  danger- 
ous a  character  by  letting  him  go  in  peace.  So  in  less 
than  five  minutes  later  he  and  Kooga  had  launched  the 
bidarkie  and  were  off.  It  was  noticeable,  however, 
that  the  latter  left  his  cherished  rifle  behind,  probably 
being  afraid  that  he  who  could  shoot  so  magically 
would  bewitch  it. 


CHAPTER   XXVI 
SEEGE   KILLS    A    BEAR,  AND    JALAP    COOMBS    DISAPPEARS 

IT  cost  Phil  and  Kooga  the  greater  part  of  a  day  of 
unremitting  labor  to  return  to  that  point  of  Oonimak 
Island  where  they  had  left  Serge.  During  that  time 
the  former  had  ample  opportunity  for  reflection.  He 
realized  how  reckless  he  had  been  in  setting  forth  on 
such  a  wild  chase  at  so  critical  a  juncture,  just  to 
gratify  a  selfish  whim,  and  now  he  bitterly  regretted 
that  he  had  not  been  more  thoughtful,  both  for  his  com- 
rades and  himself.  "  The  worst  of  it  is,"  he  muttered, 
"  that  not  only  have  I  missed  the  schooner  on  this  side 
of  the  island,  but  I  am  afraid  the  other  has  gone  by  as 
well.  It  would  serve  me  just  right,  too,  if  Serge  had 
got  tired  of  waiting,  and  had  rejoined  Mr.  Coombs,  and 
they  had  both  been  taken  off  by  the  other  schooner. 
What  shall  I  do,  though,  in  that  case?  Return  to 
Saanak,  I  suppose,  and  turn  Aleut,  and  follow  sea-otter 
hunting  as  a  business  for  the  rest  of  my  life.  But  he 
hasn't  gone  ;  I  know  he  hasn't !  Old  Serge  is  too  true 
a  comrade  to  do  a  thing  like  that.  In  spite  of  loneli- 
ness and  uncertainty  and  everything  else,  I  shall  find 
him  waiting  for  me  ;  I  know  I  shall." 

And  so  it  proved.  As  the  paddlers  wearily  drew 
near  to  their  journey's  end  late  in  the  afternoon,  Kooga 
first  discovered  a  human  figure  on  the  beach  of  the 
well-remembered  cove,  and  pointed  it  out.  Phil  knew 
it  must  be  his  faithful  friend,  and  uttered  a  wild  yell, 
a  faint  answer  to  which  came  back  from  the  solitary 
figure.  Then,  inspired  with  a  new  energy,  the  tired 


166  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

crew  of  the  bidarkie  so  redoubled  their  efforts  that 
their  little  craft  fairly  flew  over  the  smooth  waters, 
leaving  a  long  shining  wake  of  dancing  bubbles  be- 
hind her.  Up  to  the  very  beach  she  dashed  with  un- 
abated swiftness,  and  there  was  brought  to  a  sudden 
halt  by  a  powerful  back -stroke  from  the  flashing 
blades. 

"  Hurrah,  Serge,  old  man  !  Here  we  are  again  !" 
shouted  Phil. 

"  Oh,  Phil  !  I  am  so  thankful  that  you  have  come, 
and  are  safe.  I  had  almost  given  you  up  for  lost." 

A  second  later  the  friends  had  grasped  each  other's 
hands,  and  were  both  talking  at  once,  they  had  so 
much  to  tell  and  so  many  questions  to  ask. 

"It  is  so  good  to  see  you  again,  Phil !"  and,  "Old 
man,  I  never  was  more  glad  to  get  back  to  a  place  in 
my  life  !"  were  exclamations  repeated  over  and  over 
again. 

"  Do  you  know,"  said  Serge,  "  I  was  certain  it  must 
be  you  when  I  first  sighted  the  bidarkie,  so  far  away 
that  she  was  the  merest  speck.  Then,  as  she  drew 
near,  you  looked  so  much  like  a  native  that  I  was  filled 
with  a  horrid  fear.  You  see,  not  having  any  hat  on— 

"  Oh  yes  !"  interrupted  Phil.  "  I  lost  that  the  day  we 
were  out  after  sea-lions.  I  tell  you  what,  Serge,  that's 
the  grandest  kind  of  hunting,  right  in  the  edge  of 
great  breakers  that  are  dashing  their  spray  all  over 
you,  and  they  look  as  big  as  elephants — the  sea-lions, 
I  mean  —  and  they've  got  the  wickedest  teeth,  and 
great  shaggy  manes,  and  they  roar  as  if  they  meant  to 
eat  you  up.  Oh,  it  was  fine  !" 

"And  wearing  that  kamleika," continued  Serge. 

"  That's  so  !  I  forgot  I  had  it  on.  One  of  the  hunt- 
ers gave  it  to  me  the  day  I  got  my  first  otter  and  pre- 
sented it  to  them.  You'd  better  believe  that  takes 
careful  shooting  !  It  was  the  finest  work  I  ever  did, 


SERGE    KILLS    A    BEAR  167 

•v, 

and  you  ought  to  have  seen  those  fellows'  eyes  stick 
out.  I've  brought  a  skin  with  me,  too.  By-the-way, 
did  you  know  the  schooner  had  gone  back  ?" 

"  I  should  rather  say  I  did,"  replied  Serge.  "  She 
came  past  the  day  after  you  left.  I  managed  to  at- 
tract their  attention,  and  in  spite  of  the  sea  they  got  a 
boat  ashore.  Of  course,  I  was  awfully  disappointed 
to  find  that  you  were  not  on  board,  and  felt  worse 
when  they  said  they  hadn't  seen  anything  of  you. 
They  offered  to  take  me  to  Oonalaska,  but  of  course  I 
wouldn't  go.  They  couldn't  stop  to  go  around  the 
island  after  the  seal  -  skins  either,  because  they  were 
under  charter  to  leave  Oonalaska  almost  immediately 
for  Sitka.  So—" 

"  For  Sitka  !"  groaned  Phil. 

"Yes.  Isn't  it  too  bad!  So  L  traded  a  bear -skin 
with  them  for  some  groceries,  and  they  went  on." 

"A  bear-skin!"  exclaimed  the  other.  "Where  on 
earth  did  you  get  a  bear-skin  ?" 

"  Killed  the  bear,"  answered  Serge,  coolly. 

"  But  you  hadn't  any  gun." 

"Didn't  need  one.  I  killed  him  with  my  knife. 
You  see  he  got  at  my  halibut  the  very  first  night. 
Hearing  the  noise,  I  went  down  and  tried  to  drive  him 
away  by  throwing  rocks.  One  of  them  must  have  hit 
him  and  made  him  mad,  for  he  took  after  me,  and  I 
ran  back  to  the  tent.  He  followed  altogether  too 
close  for  comfort,  and  when  I  went  through  it  and  out 
the  back  way  he  tried  to  do  the  same.  Somehow  he 
managed  to  knock  out  the  poles,  bring  the  tent  down 
about  his  ears,  and  get  all  tangled  up  in  it.  You  bet- 
ter believe  he  was  furious,  and  the  way  he  growled 
and  snarled  and  tore  round  was  a  caution.  I  saw  that 
it  was  my  only  chance,  so  I  went  for  him  with  my 
knife,  and  finally  killed  him,  though  he  tore  my  cloth- 
ing some  while  I  was  doing  it." 


168  THE 

"Tore  your  clothing!"  cried  Phil,  regarding  his 
friend  from  head  to  foot;  "I  should  say  he  did.  Why, 
man,  you  are  in  rags  !  If  that  doesn't  beat  all  the  bear- 
hunting  I  ever  heard  of,  though  !  Seems  to  me  you 
have  had  about  as  exciting  adventures  as  I  have.  But, 
by-the-way,  did  you  say  you  had  some  groceries  ?  Do 
let's  go  and  sample  them,  for  I  know  I'm  hungrier  than 
that  bear  was.  I  am  curious  to  see  if  I  shall  recognize 
a  grocery,  too,  it's  so  long  since  I've  met  with  one. 
What  are  they  ?  Coffee,  sugar,  milk,  butter,  flour,  jams, 
biscuit,  syrup,  mince  -  meat,  pickles,  canned  peaches, 
and— 

"  Hold  on  !"  laughed  Serge.  "  How  much  do  you 
think  an  undressed  bear-skin,  out  of  season  and  full  of 
knife-holes,  is  worth  in  this  country?  They  only  valued 
it  at  two  dollars;  but  they  gave  me  some  flour,  tea,  and 
sugar,  a  little  lard,  a  few  biscuit,  quarter  of  a  pound  of 
baking-powder,  a  small  iron  kettle,  half  a  dozen  empty 
tin  cans,  a  sail-needle,  and  some  twine,  which  seemed  to 
me  a  pretty  good  price  under  the  circumstances." 

"So  it  was,"  retorted  Phil;  "and  if  you  haven't 
eaten  all  the  tin  cans  let's  go  and  tackle  them." 

Kooga,  who  had  hauled  up  his  bidarkie,  and  waited 
patiently  for  the  lads  to  finish  their  conversation,  fol- 
lowed them  up  to  Serge's  camp,  at  sight  of  which  he 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  amazement.  Kooga's  tent, 
neatly  repaired,  had  been  re-erected,  and  a  stone  wall, 
about  four  feet  high,  had  been  built  along  two  sides  to 
serve  as  a  wind-break.  A  small  fire  burned  brightly, 
and  above  this  a  kettle  of  water  boiled  merrily.  The 
interior  of  the  tent  was  filled  with  a  bed  of  softest 
moss,  and  it  all  looked  so  cosey  that  Phil  declared  he 
felt  as  though  he  had  got  home  again. 

In  a  short  time  Serge  had  ready  such  a  supper  as 
made  the  returned  wanderer  repeat  this  sentiment 
more  emphatically  than  before.  The  ingenious  lad 


SERGE    KILLS    A    BEAR  169 

had  converted  several  of  his  tin  cans  into  cooking 
utensils.  On  one  of  these  he  had  baked  a  sort  of  thin 
biscuit,  made  of  flour,  salt  water,  lard,  and  baking- 
powder.  Another  was  his  fry-pan,  in  which  he  cooked 
a  quantity  of  small  fish,  like  herring.  A  third  was  his 
teapot.  A  dozen  fat  little  birds  that  he  had  trapped 
were  nicely  cleaned  and  spitted  ready  for  cooking, 
while  the  bill  of  fare  was  completed  by  smoked  halibut 
andv  thin  strips  of  bear  meat. 

"  Well !"  cried  Phil,  as  he  sat  down  to  this  bountiful 
meal.  "  If  there  is  anything  finer  than  this  in  Alaska, 
then  I  don't  want  to  see  it,  that's  all.  To  think  of 
having  biscuit — actually  hot  biscuit — baked  on  a  piece 
of  tin,  too!  Serge,  you  are  a  genius  !  A  genuine  out- 
and-out  genius  !  And  if  my  aunt  Ruth  could  see  this 
lay-out  I  really  think  she  would  turn  green  with  envy. 
And  tea  with  sugar  in  it — real,  truly  sugar!  Say, 
Serge,  if  you  don't  promise  to  take  me  in  as  a  regular 
boarder,  I'll — I'll — well,  I'll  go  and  get  married,  that's 
what  I'll  do !" 

"  It  is  pleasant  now  that  you  are  back,"  said  ^the 
young  Alaskan,  modestly.  "It  has  been  terribly  lonely, 
though,  and  I  had  to  work  at  something  all  the  time 
to  keep  from  thinking.  I  wanted  awfully  to  go  to  the 
north  side  of  the  island  and  see  how  Mr.  Coombs  was 
getting  along,  but  as  it  would  have  taken  the  best  part 
of  two  days  to  get  there  and  back,  and  you  might  have 
come  in  the  meantime,  I  didn't  dare  to.  Now,  if  he 
were  only  here !" 

"  Yes,  and  old  Kite  Robinson,  our  family  party  would 
be  complete,  and  we'd  be  almost  as  well  off  as  if  we 
were  in  Sitka.  I  declare  I  could  kick  myself  when  I 
remember  that  if  I'd  only  taken  your  advice  we  might 
have  been  on  our  way  to  Sitka  in  your  schooner  by 
this  time  !" 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  responded  Serge.     "  We 


170 

couldn't  have  gone  off  and  left  Mr.  Coombs  alone  on 
the  island." 

"  That's  so  !  I  never  thought  of  that.  Poor  old 
Jalap  !  I  wonder  how  he  is  getting  on  all  alone,  and 
what  he  thinks  has  become  of  us.  We  must  go  over 
to-morrow  and  relieve  his  anxiety,  and  take  him  a  cup 
of  tea.  Perhaps  his  schooner  hasn't  come  along  yet, 
and  we  shall  be  all  right,  after  all." 

Bright  and  early  the  following  morning  the  little 
camp  was  dismantled  and  abandoned.  Kooga  took 
his  tent,  and  bidding  farewell  to  the  lads  into  whose 
lives  he  had  entered  so  strangely,  shoved  off  his  bid- 
arkie,  and  started  on  his  lonely  return  trip  to  far 
Saanak.  After  watching  him  out  of  sight,  the  others 
loaded  themselves  with  their  newly -acquired  camp 
outfit,  and  started  on  their  long,  toilsome  march  to  the 
north  side  of  the  island. 

When,  after  many  hours  of  tramping,  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  now  familiar  ruins  and  their  own  barrab- 
kie  they  were  struck  with  the  latter's  appearance  of 
loneliness.  There  was  no  smoke  nor  sign  of  human 
presence.  Filled  with  undefined  anxiety,  they  hurried 
forward,  only  to  find  the  hut  abandoned,  and  a  little 
heap  of  cold  ashes  in  the  place  where  its  cheerful  fire 
had  blazed.  The  companion  whom  they  had  left  there 
five  days  before  had  disappeared,  nor  could  they  find 
a  clew  to  the  time  or  manner  of  his  departure. 

"  The  schooner  must  have  come,  and  he  must  have 
taken  the  seal-skins  to  Oonalaska  in  her,"  suggested 
Phil. 

"  I  should  think  so,  too,"  replied  Serge,  who  had  just 
returned  from  an  inspection  of  the  cache,  "if  it  wasn't 
for  the  fact  that  the  seal-skins  are  still  here,  and  ap- 
parently untouched." 


CHAPTER    XXVII 
PHIL    SEES    HIMSELF    AS    OTHERS    SEE    HIM 

IT  is  needless  to  say  that  our  lads  were  wofully  dis- 
concerted by  the  unexplained  absence  of  Jalap  Coombs 
from  the  place  where  they  had  left  him.  Their  home- 
coming, as  they  had  termed  their  return  to  the  barrab- 
kie  during  that  day's  toilsome  march,  was  not  only 
robbed  of  all  the  pleasure  they  had  anticipated,  but 
was  confronted  by  a  mystery  that  filled  them  with 
anxious  thoughts  and  gloomy  forebodings.  It  did  not 
seem  possible  that  their  comrade  could  have  departed 
from  the  island  without  leaving  spme  message  for 
them.  Neither  could  they  understand  why  he  should 
have  gone  without  taking  the  seal-skins  which  he  had 
prized  so  highly.  Had  he  wandered  to  some  remote 
part  of  the  island,  and  become  lost?  or  fallen  down 
one  of  its  tremendous  precipices  ?  or —  But  what  was 
the  use  in  such  conjectures  ?  An  experienced  sailor- 
man  like  the  mate  of  the  Seamew  was  not  likely  to 
have  done  any  of  these  things.  He  was  even  so  averse 
to  walking,  save  on  the  deck  of  a  vessel,  that  they  could 
not  imagine  him  as  having  gone  any  farther  from  the 
hut  than  was  absolutely  necessary  to  procure  food, 
fuel,  and  water. 

Remembering  his  friend's  recent  experience  with  a 
bear,  Phil  suggested  that  Jalap  Coombs  might  have 
been  attacked  and  carried  off  by  one  of  those  animals; 
but  Serge  at  once  pointed  out  the  absurdity  of  such  a 
theory.  The  bears  of  that  country,  he  said,  would  not 
attack  a  man  unless  first  wounded  or  provoked,  and 


172  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

the  mate,  as  they  both  knew,  was  not  one  who  would 
needlessly  or  recklessly  affront  a  bear.  Besides,  such  a 
struggle,  as  was  suggested,  could  not  have  taken  place 
without  leaving  unmistakable  traces,  and  of  these  there 
were  none.  To  be  sure  the  interior  of  the  old  barrab- 
kie  was  in  great  disorder.  The  lads  particularly  noted 
that  the  split  caribou  bones  from  which  they  had  ex- 
tracted the  marrow  on  the  last  evening  they  had  spent 
there,  and  which  they  had  flung  into  one  corner,  were 
now  scattered  in  every  direction,  some  of  them  lying 
at  quite  a  distance  beyond  the  hut.  For  a  while  they 
could  not  account  for  this  ;  but  at  length  Serge  dis- 
covered a  fox  track  clearly  imprinted  in  some  damp 
ashes,  and  so  one  bit  of  mystery  was  removed. 

They  had  so  confidently  expected  to  find  a  fire  at  the 
hut  that  they  had  neglected  to  provide  themselves  with 
the  means  for  procuring  one.  Now  they  were  too  tired 
and  disheartened  to  go  off  on  a  long  search  for  sulphur 
and  tinder.  So  they  ate  what  remained  of  the  slender 
stock  of  provisions  brought  from  their  last  camp,  and 
then,  huddling  close  together  for  warmth  beneath  the 
tent-roof  of  the  hut,  they  discussed  their  unfortunate 
situation  and  gloomy  prospects  for  the  future,  until  at 
length  they  fell  into  the  dreamless  sleep  of  utter  weari- 
ness. Phil's  last  words  before  dozing  into  unconscious- 
ness were,  "  I  can't  see  that  we've  anything  to  hope 
for,  not  even  a  breakfast  to-morrow  morning,  unless 
we — care — to — eat  raw — fish;  which  I  won't." 

Then,  save  for  the  melancholy  whistle  of  the  wind, 
the  ceaseless  boom  of  breakers,  and  the  occasional  yelp 
of  a  prowling  fox,  the  old  barrabkie  and  its  inmates 
were  buried  in  a  profound  silence. 

The  summer  nights  are  so  short  in  that  latitude  that 
it  was  broad  daylight  when  Serge  found  himself  as 
wide  awake  as  ever  in  his  life,  sitting  up  and  listen- 
ing nervously  to  certain  mysterious  and  inexplicable 


PHIL   SEES    HIMSELF   AS    OTHERS    SEE    HIM  173 

sounds.  He  heard  shouts  and  laughter,  the  crashing 
of  rocks,  and  another  sound,  which  for  the  moment  he 
could  not  define. 

"  Phil !  Phil !  Wake  up !"  he  cried,  in  a  low  tone, 
at  the  same  time  shaking  his  drowsy  comrade.  "  There 
are  men  outside  !  A  lot  of  them  !  And  I  hear  some- 
thing that  sounds  like  escaping  steam." 

"  Oh,  you  must  be  dreaming !"  replied  the  other,  in- 
credulously. "  No,  I  declare  you  are  right,  for  I  hear 
them  myself  !" 

With  this  both  lads  sprang  to  their  feet  and  rushed 
outside.  The  sight  that  met  their  astonished  gaze  was 
that  of  a  number  of  men  busily  engaged  in  tearing 
down  the  stone  walls  of  the  old  hut  in  which  the  seal- 
skins were  stored.  Others  were  bearing  the  skins  away 
and  depositing  them  in  a  ship's  boat  that  a  couple  of 
sailors  were  fending  off  from  the  rocks. 

"  Hello  there  !"  shouted  Phil,  running  down  and 
plunging  into  the  midst  of  this  busy  scene.  "Who 
are  you,  and  what  do  you  mean  by  stealing  our  seal- 
skins ?" 

The  men  paused  in  their  labor  to  gaze  at  this  sud- 
den apparition.  "  His  seal-skins !  Will  ye  listen  to 
the  cheek  of  that  ?"  exclaimed  one  of  them,  mock- 
ingly. "The  young  beggar  will  be  saying  this  is  his 
island  next." 

"  Yes,  my  seal-skins  !"  cried  Phil,  hot  with  indigna- 
tion. "Even  if  they  were  not,  they  aren't  yours. 
You  are  a  lot  of  thieves  and  highway  robbers,  and  if 
there  is  any  law  in  this  forsaken  country  you  shall  suf- 
fer for  this  outrage — see  if  you  don't !" 

A  roar  of  laughter  greeted  this  speech,  and  a  num- 
ber of  insolent  retorts  would  have  been  made  to  it  had 
not  a  young  man  in  uniform,  who  seemed  to  be  the 
leader  of  the  party,  appeared  at  this  moment  from  the 
interior  of  the  hut. 


174 

"  What's  going  on  here  ?"  he  demanded,  in  a  tone  of 
authority.  "Hustle  those  skins  along  lively,  men  !" 
Then,  turning  to  Phil  and  Serge,  he  demanded,  rough- 
ly, "  Well,  who  are  you,  and  what  do  you  want  here?" 

"Supposing  you  answer  my  question  first,"  replied 
Phil,  hotly.  "  Who  are  you,  and  by  what  authority 
are  you  stealing  our  seal-skins  ?" 

"  Oh,  they  are  yours,  are  they  ?"  retorted  the  other, 
surveying  the  irate  lad  from  head  to  foot  with  an 
amused  smile.  "Very  well,  if  you  claim  them,  the 
best  thing  you  can  do  is  to  go  off  to  the  ship  and  pre- 
sent your  claim  to  the  captain.  He  is  only  too  glad  of 
a  chance  to  settle  all  such  matters.  Coxswain,  take 
these  chaps  aboard  ship,  present  them  to  the  captain 
with  my  compliments,  and  tell  him  that  they  are  de- 
sirous of  a  settlement  in  connection  with  these  seal- 
skins, which  they  claim  as  their  property." 

"  I  don't  know  that  we  care  to  go  aboard  your  ship," 
said  Phil.  "  Supposing  your  captain  comes  ashore 
and  settles  with  us  right  here.  We  didn't  invite  him 
to  this  island,  or  ask  him  to  take  our  seal-skins." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  you'd  better  go,"  responded  the  other, 
with  a  peculiar  smile.  "You'll  be  apt  to  get  better 
terms  if  you  do.  Besides,  our  captain  makes  a  point 
of  never  going  ashore  before  breakfast." 

Phil  was  about  to  make  some  angry  reply  to  this, 
when  Serge  nudged  him,  and  said,  in  a  low  tone,  "Be 
careful,  old  man,  or  you'll  get  us  into  trouble.  Don't 
you  see  she's  a  cutter?" 

A  startled  glance  at  the  anchored  vessel,  to  which, 
in  his  excitement,  he  had  not  paid  particular  attention 
before,  satisfied  Phil  that  she  was,  indeed,  what  Serge 
claimed.  Another  look  at  the  young  man  in  authority 
showed  his  uniform,  though  faded  and  bearing  evi- 
dences of  long  service,  to  be  that  of  the  United  States 
Revenue  Marine. 


PHIL  SEES  HIMSELF  AS  OTHERS  SEE  HIM     175 

"  I  don't  care  if  she  is,"  he  answered,  stoutly.  "  We'll 
go  and  see  her  captain,  though,  and  find  out  by  what 
authority  he  seizes  the  property  of  honest  citizens. 
Come  on,  Serge." 

A  few  minutes  later  the  boat  was  run  alongside  the 
cutter's  port  gangway,  and  its  cockswain  was  reporting 
to  the  first  lieutenant  :  "  Here  are  two  men,  sir,  that 
Mr.  Ramey  ordered  me  to  bring  off.  They  say  as 
them  seal-skins  are  theirs  and  want  to  see  the  captain 
about  'em." 

"  Very  well,"  answered  the  officer.  "  Follow  me,  you 
two,  and  I  guess  the  captain  will  dispose  of  your  case 
in  short  order." 

Thus  saying  he  led  the  way  aft  to  the  captain's 
cabin,  which  was  at  the  same  time  the  office  in  which 
he  transacted  his  business.  Knocking  at  the  door,  the 
officer  was  bidden  to  enter,  and,  ordering  the  lads  to 
remain  where  they  were,  he  did  so.  A  minute  later  he 
reappeared,  told  them  they  might  step  inside,  as  the 
captain  was  ready  to  hear  their  story,  and  then  re- 
turned to  his  post  of  duty  on  the  upper  deck. 

As  Phil  and  Serge  stepped  inside  the  roomy,  well- 
appointed  cabin,  the  former  thought  he  had  never 
seen  a  more  comfortable,  home -like  appearing  place. 
It  contained  a  centre -table  on  which  stood  a  pot  of 
ferns,  a  number  of  easy-chairs,  a  writing-desk,  and  a 
cabinet  organ.  At  one  end  was  a  small  library  of 
carefully  selected  books,  and  on  a  low  sofa  seat,  at 
one  side,  were  scattered  a  number  of  magazines  and  il- 
lustrated papers. 

The  most  startling  object  in  the  room  to  Phil,  how- 
ever, was  a  large  mirror  that  confronted  him  as  he 
entered  the  door,  and  in  which,  for  the  first  time  in 
weeks,  he  saw  his  own  reflection.  He  had  forgotten 
that  he  still  wore  the  kamleika  of  a  sea-otter  hunter, 
that  he  was  hatless,  that  his  feet  and  lower  limbs  were 


176  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

incased  in  great  cowhide  boots,  or  that  his  hair  was 
long  and  uncombed.  Now  to  his  dismay  he  realized 
that  in  general  appearance  he  more  nearly  resembled  a 
native  Aleut  than  he  did  a  civilized  white  lad,  not  to 
say  a  young  gentleman.  In  his  confusion  he  hardly 
realized  that  the  captain  of  the  cutter  was  speaking 
to  them,  and  that  Serge,  who,  for  the  moment  was  the 
more  self-possessed  of  the  two,  was  answering  him. 
Suddenly  he  was  recalled  to  his  senses  by  hearing  an 
exclamation  of: 

"Bless  my  soul !  not  Serge  Belcofsky  of  Sitka  !  Of 
course  it  is,  though.  Why,  Serge,  you  young  scamp, 
how  are  you  ?  and  how,  in  the  name  of  all  that  is 
mysterious,  do  I  find  you  here  masquerading  as  a  seal- 
poacher  ?  I  saw  your  mother  only  a  few  days  ago,  and 
she  is  terribly  anxious  about  you.  Why  aren't  you  in 
Sitka  ?" 

To  Phil's  amazement,  as  Captain  Matthews,  who  was 
a  tall,  fine-looking  man  with  gray  side  whiskers,  uttered 
these  words  he  stepped  forward,  and,  grasping  the  hand 
of  his  companion,  shook  it  heartily. 

"  I  am  trying  to  get  to  Sitka,  sir,  the  best  I  know 
how,"  answered  Serge,  laughing,  as  he  shook  hands 
with  this  old  acquaintance,  "  and  so  is  my  friend  here, 
Mr.  Ryder,  whose  father  is  waiting  for  him  there;  but 
somehow  luck  seems  to  be  against  us." 

"  Ryder  !  Ryder  !"  repeated  Captain  Matthews, 
turning  to  Phil  with  a  puzzled  expression.  "  It  can't  be 
that  you  are  the  son  of  Mr.  John  Ryder,  the  famous 
mining  expert  whom  I  heard  of  in  Sitka,  and  who  is 
hunting  all  over  the  country  for  a  lost  boy  ?" 

"  I  believe  I  am,  sir,"  replied  Phil,  "  for  my  name  is 
Philip  Ryder,  and  I  seem  to  be  very  much  lost,  and 
my  father  is  Mr.  John  Ryder,  a  mining  expert." 

"  Well,  bless  my  soul !"  cried  the  captain.  "If  this 
isn't  a  most  extraordinary  state  of  affairs  !  And  so  you 


PHIL  SEES  HIMSELF  AS  OTHERS  SEE  HIM    177 

two  young  scamps  are  the  very  Ryder  and  Belcofsky 
whose  names  appear  on  the  Seamew's  shipping-papers, 
and  whom  I  wasted  so  much  time  hunting  for.  But 
where  is  Coombs  —  Quinine  Coombs,  or  whatever  his 
medicinal  name  is  ?" 

"  I  am  afraid  we  have  lost  him  somewhere,"  replied 
Serge. 

"  Like  as  not,"  retorted  the  captain.  "  You  seem 
to  be  capable  of  losing  anything  or  anybody,  including 
yourselves." 

"  Was  it  you  who  captured  the  Seamew,  sir  ?"  in- 
quired Phil,  curiously. 

"  Of  course  it  was,  and  I  took  her  into  Sitka  harbor, 
where  she  lies  now,  and  where  her  case  is  to  be  tried 
before  Judge  Ames.  As  you  formed  part  of  her  pirat- 
ical crew,  I  want  to  know  if  there,  is  any  reason  why 
I  should  not  clap  you  two  in  irons  as  prisoners  of  war 
and  deserters,  and  take  you  there  too  ?" 

"  I  only  wish  you  would,  sir,"  replied  Phil,  earnestly. 

Just  then  a  clear,  laughing  voice  from  behind  them 
said,  "  I  think,  papa,  it  is  about  time  that  I  were  al- 
lowed to  greet  my  old  friend  Serge." 

Turning  quickly,  poor  Phil  beheld  one  of  the  very 
prettiest  girls  he  had  ever  seen.  As  a  thought  of  his 
own  ridiculous  appearance  flashed  into  his  mind,  he 
blushed  furiously,  and  wished  that  he  were  in  the 
ship's  hold,  or  a  dungeon,  or  any  other  place  that  was 
dark. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 
PHIL  AND   SERGE   AS  PRISONERS    OF  WAR 

CAPTAIN  ISRAEL  MATTHEWS,  commanding  the  United 
States  revenue-cutter  Phoca,  and  one  of  the  most  high- 
ly esteemed  officers  in  the  service,  had  cruised  in  those 
far  northern  waters  for  two  years,  and  during  most  of 
that  time  he  had  been  accompanied  by  his  motherless 
daughter  May,  who  loved  the  sea  as  a  sailor's  daughter 
should.  During  these  years  May  Matthews  had  made 
several  long  visits  in  Sitka,  where  there  is  always  a 
charming  colony  of  naval  families  and  those  of  other 
government  officials.  Here  she  had  also  become  well 
acquainted  in  the  few  old  Russian  households  still  re- 
maining in  that  quaint  Alaskan  town.  Of  these  the 
Belcofskys  were  the  most  prominent;  so  by  this  time 
she  and  Serge  seemed  quite  like  old  friends. 

On  the  present  occasion,  while  she  was  greeting  him, 
and  laughing  familiarly  at  his  ragged  and  generally 
disreputable  appearance,  Phil  edged  towards  the  door 
in  a  vain  effort  to  escape  an  immediate  introduction. 
In  this,  however,  he  was  frustrated  by  the  captain, 
who,  noting  the  movement,  called  out  sternly: 

"Hello  there,  prisoner!  No  dodging  !  Come  back 
here  and  be  introduced  to  your  jailer,  who  will  be  held 
responsible  if  you  escape.  Daughter,  allow  me  to  pre- 
sent my  friend  Mr.  Philip  Ryder,  dressed  for  his  fa- 
mous impersonation  of  an  Aleut  swell,  in  the  Alaskan 
comedy  of  'Bering  Breakers.'" 

"  Don't  mind  him,  Mr.  Ryder,"  laughed  Miss  May, 
extending  her  hand  with  engaging  cordiality  to  poor 


PHIL    AND    SERGE    AS    PRISONERS    OF    WAR  179 

embarrassed  Phil.  "  He  chaffs  every  one  just  that 
way,  and  says  the  most  horrid  things.  You  ought  to 
see  him  in  his  winter  uniform.  He  looks  so  exactly 
like  an  Eskimo  that  even  the  dogs  howl  and  run  away 
at  sight  of  him." 

"  Yes,  my  winter  coat  really  does  make  them  howl 
with  envy,"  retorted  Captain  Matthews.  "  But  come, 
lads,  let  us  go  into  the  wardroom  and  see  if  we  can't 
provide  you  with  some  civilized  toggery.  After  that, 
as  a  penalty  for  your  recent  acts  of  piracy,  etc.,  I  sen- 
tence you  both  to  appear  in  this  cabin  and  breakfast 
with  Miss  May  and  myself." 

In  the  wardroom,  or  officers'  quarters,  the  captain 
introduced  Phil  and  Serge  to  several  of  the  younger 
officers,  who  readily  undertook  to  furnish  them  with 
an  outfit  of  clothing  suitable  to  an  appearance  at  the 
cabin  breakfast-table. 

When,  an  hour  later,  after  a  welcome  bath,  after  that 
member  of  the  crew  who  acted- as  ship's  barber  had 
trimmed  their  hair,  and  clad  in  exceedingly  becoming 
suits  of  uniform,  our  lads  again  presented  themselves 
in  the  cabin,  Captain  Matthews  insisted  that  they  should 
introduce  each  other  to  him.  Otherwise,  he  declared, 
he  should  never  believe  they  were  the  castaways  whom 
out  of  pity  for  their  starving  condition  he  had  invited 
to  breakfast. 

"  Just  wait,  sir,  until  you  see  us  eat,"  remarked  Phil, 
significantly. 

Then  the  captain  called  them  reformed  pirates,  and 
imitation  lieutenants,  and  would  doubtless  have  invent- 
ed many  other  equally  absurd  names  had  not  Miss  May 
clapped  her  hands  over  his  mouth,  and  declared  she 
would  not  allow  any  further  abuse  of  her  prisoners. 

It  is  doubtful  if  ever  a  merrier  party  sat  down  to  a 
breakfast  in  all  Alaska,  and  certainly  no  meal  was  ever 
more  thoroughly  appreciated  than  was  that  one  by  Phil 


180  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

and  Serge.  The  former  pretended  to  have  forgotten 
the  use  of  forks  and  spoons,  while  the  captain  ordered 
the  table-boy  to  serve  the  sharks'  fins  and  whalebone  as 
quickly  as  possible.  Phil  told  how  Serge  tried  to  drive 
away  a  bear  that  was  breaking  into  his  halibut  larder, 
and  Serge  in  turn  told  how  the  master  of  the  Seamew 
had  taught  Phil  to  appreciate  Ebenezer's  cooking. 

This  mention  of  the  Seamew  led  the  lads  to  inquire 
for  further  particulars  concerning  that  vessel,  and  re- 
garding affairs  in  Sitka.  Therefore  Captain  Matthews 
said  that,  having  learned  from  one  of  the  schooner's 
crew  of  the  cache  of  seal-skins  on  Oonimak  Island,  he 
had  only  remained  in  Sitka  long  enough  to  turn  his 
prize  over  to  the  authorities,  and  had  then  hastened 
back  to  make  a  further  capture  of  her  hidden  cargo. 

"  I  wondered — "  murmured  Serge. 

"  Now,"  continued  the  captain,  "  I  propose  taking  it, 
and  you,  too,  and  Mr.  Ipecac  Coombs,  if  I  can  find  him, 
to  Sitka  for  trial,  though  I  must  first  run  up  to  the 
Pribyloff  Islands,  and  then  stop  in  at  Oonalaska  on 
my  way  back." 

"  That  will  be  fine  !"  exclaimed  Phil.  "  Having  got 
so  near  the  seal  islands,  I  hated  the  thought  of  leaving 
Bering  Sea  without  seeing  them,  for  it  seems  to  me 
that  those  millions  of  seals  must  be  one  of  the  sights 
of  the  world." 

"So  it  is,  my  boy,"  responded  Captain  Matthews, 
"  and  I  am  glad  you  are  to  have  the  opportunity  of 
witnessing  it.  If  it  were  on  anything  but  an  island, 
though,  from  which  it  would  be  impossible  for  you  to 
escape,  I  don't  think  I  should  allow  you  on  shore,  ex- 
cept under  guard,  for  I  am  bound  you  shall  fetch  Sitka 
this  timte,  if  it  can  be  managed." 

"  I  hope  you  will  succeed,  sir,"  laughed  Phil,  "  though 
I  don't  know  exactly  what  I  shall  do  when  I  get  there, 
so  long  as  my  father  has  left." 


PHIL    AND   SERGE    AS    PRISONERS    OF    WAR          181 

"  I  fancy  he  will  be  back  again  by  that  time.  He 
is  certain  to  find  out  in  Victoria  where  you  have  gone, 
and  will  probably  return  to  Sitka  to  await  your  ar- 
rival." 

"  So  he  will,"  said  Phil,  brightening,  "  for  I  left  a 
note  for  him  in  Victoria,  telling  him  just  what  I  in- 
tended to  do." 

"  Did  you  inform  him  that  you  proposed  to  become 
a  seal-hunter,  and  then  turn  into  a  pirate,  and  then  get 
cast  away  on  Oonimak  Island,  and  get  lost  among  the 
sea-otters,  and  captured  by  a  revenue-cutter,  and  be 
delivered  to  him  in  irons  ?"  asked  the  captain,  gravely. 

"No,  sir,  not  just  that  in  detail,"  laughed  Phil.  "I 
left  most  of  it  to  be  understood." 

"Well,  I  only  hope  he'll  understand  it.  By-the- 
way,  Serge,  I've  a  bit  of  news  that  will  interest  you  to 
the  extent  of  nearly  a  thousand  dollars.  Do  you  re- 
member showing  me  once  a  very  curiously  carved  fur- 
seal's  tooth  that  had  been  presented  to  your  father  by 
a  Chilkat  chief  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  remember  it  well." 

"Well,  those  Indians  have  been  having  very  bad 
luck  lately  with  their  fishing,  trading,  and  one  thing 
or  another,  and  have  decided  that  it  is  all  owing  to 
the  fact  that  they  allowed  that  magic  talisman,  as  they 
regard  it,  to  pass  out  of  their  possession.  So  they  sent 
a  delegation  down  to  Sitka  to  try  and  recover  it  from 
your  mother.  I  saw  them  there  last  week,  and  they 
were  terribly  in  earnest  about  getting  it.  They  even 
offered  your  mother  as  high  as  ten  of  their  finest  old- 
time  dance-blankets  for  it,  and  you  know  those  are 
now  worth  anywhere  from  seventy  to  one  hundred 
dollars  apiece.  Your  mother  told  them  that  you  had 
it,  and  had  taken  it  with  you  on  a  long  voyage.  She 
said,  though,  that  she  had  no  doubt  you  would  sell  it 
to  them  on  your  return,  and  that  you  were  expected 


182  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

back  every  day.  So  they  are  waiting  for  you,  and  you 
may  look  forward  to  a  very  savage  demonstration  of 
welcome  the  moment  you  set  foot  on  Sitka  wharf. 
Have  you  the  tooth  with  you?  I  should  like  to  see 
it  again." 

"  No,"  answered  Serge,  slowly  ;  "  I  gave  it  away." 

"  You  don't  say  so  !  How  could  you  be  so  foolish  ? 
To  whom  did  you  give  it  ?" 

"To  one  who  proved  my  best  friend  in  a  strange 
country,"  replied  Serge,  nodding  significantly  in  Phil's 
direction. 

"  Oh  !"  exclaimed  the  captain,  in  a  relieved  tone. 
"So  you  are  the  lucky  possessor  of  the  magic  tooth, 
are  you,  Master  Phil?  Then  our  Chilkat  friends  must 
drive  their  bargain  with  you.  Would  you  mind  al- 
lowing me  to  have  it  a  moment  ?  I  want  my  daughter 
to  see  it ;  for,  on  account  of  its  history  and  associa- 
tions, I  regard  it  as  one  of  the  most  interesting  of 
Alaskan  curios." 

"  I  am  awfully  sorry,  sir,  but  I — 

"Don't  tell  me  that  you  have  given  it  away  too." 

"  No,  sir,  but  I  have  lost  it.  You  see,  I  had  no  idea 
of  its  value,  and  failed  to  take  the  care  I  should 
of  it." 

"I  might  have  known  it  !"  cried  the  captain,  in  a 
tone  of  vexation.  "  A  chap  that  can  manage  to  lose 
himself  as  often  as  you  have  would  lose  anything. 
But  there,  lad,  forgive  me,"  he  added,  quickly,  as  he 
caught  the  look  of  mortification  that  swept  over  Phil's 
face.  "I  didn't  mean  to  say  rude  things,  and  if  you 
think  the  trinket  has  gone  beyond  hope  of  recovery 
we'll  say  no  more  about  it." 

Just  then  a  knock  came  at  the  cabin  door,  and  Mr. 
Ramey,  the  third  lieutenant,  who  had  been  sent  ashore 
to  bring  off  the  seal-skins,  reported  that  he  had  com- 
pleted this  duty,  and  that  they  were  all  on  board. 


PHIL    AND    SERGE    AS    PRISONERS    OF    WAR  183 

"Very  good,"  said  Captain  Matthews.  "You  may 
ask  Mr.  Nelson  to  get  under  way  for  the  Priby- 
loffs." 

"  There  is  one  more  thing,  sir,"  continued  the  young 
lieutenant,  hesitatingly.  "  Although  not  instructed  to 
do  so,  I  took  the  liberty  of  examining  several  other  of 
those  ruins  on  shore,  and  in  one  of  them  I  found  this, 
which  I  trust  you  will  have  no  objection  to  my  keep- 
ing." 

"Certainly  not,  if" — began  the  captain,  casting  a 
careless  glance  at  the  object  the  lieutenant  held  out 
for  inspection.  It  was  the  skin  of  some  animal  turned 
inside  out,  so  that  its  real  nature  could  not  be  deter- 
mined. 

Both  Phil  and  Serge  recognized  it  at  once,  and  be- 
fore the  captain  could  complete  his  sentence  the  former 
exclaimed,  "  Why,  it  is  my  sea-otter  skin  that  I  had 
forgotten  all  about.  I  am  ever  so  much  obliged  to 
you,  sir,  for  bringing  it  off." 

"  You  may  leave  it,  Mr.  Ramey,"  said  Captain  Mat- 
thews. "  I  was  about  to  say  that  I  had  no  objection 
to  your  keeping  it  provided  no  owner  could  be  found; 
but  as  one  has  appeared,  that  of  course  settles  the 
matter." 

As  the  disappointed  lieutenant  walked  away,  he  mut- 
tered to  himself,  "  I  do  believe  that  this  is  the  very 
chap  who  claimed  the  seal-skins.  Now  it  seems  that 
he  owns  everything  else  on  the  island,  and  I  shouldn't 
be  surprised  if  he  owned  this  ship  before  we  got  rid 
of  him." 

In  the  meantime  Phil  was  asking  the  captain's  per- 
mission to  present  the  sea-otter  skin  to  his  daughter 
before  he  should  have  a  chance  to  lose  it.  Though  the 
latter  demurred  at  first,  on  account  of  its  value,  Phil 
so  insisted  that  he  finally  consented.  Thus,  to  her 
great  delight,  Miss  May  became  possessed  of  one  of 


184  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

the  finest  pieces  of  fur  in  all  Alaska,  while  Phil  was 
happily  relieved  of  a  responsibility. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  swift  cutter  was  speeding 
away  over  the  green  waters  towards  the  Pribyloffs. 
Oonimak  Island,  with  its  many  memories,  was  fading 
from  view,  and  a  new  field  of  possible  adventure  was 
opening  before  our  young  seal-hunters. 


CHAPTER    XXIX 
A  CEUISE    ON  A  BERING    SEA   CUTTER 

NEARLY  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  north  from 
Oonimak  lie  the  Pribyloffs,  towards  the  larger  and 
more  northerly  of  which,  the  island  of  St.  Paul,  the 
swift  revenue  cutter  Phoca  was  speeding  her  way. 
That  day  of  steaming  over  the  restless  waters  of  Be- 
ring Sea  was  one  of  unalloyed  pleasure  to  both  Phil 
and  Serge.  Their  troubles  were  over  ;  they  were  real- 
ly bound  for  Sitka  at  last,  and,  en  route,  were  going  to 
stop  at  the  wonderful  seal  islands,  of  which  both  had 
heard  so  much  as  to  fill  them  with  curiosity.  Above  all, 
they  were  making  this  delightful  trip  in  company  with 
congenial  companions,  some  of  whom  were  friends. 

It  was  a  real  pleasure  now  to  watch  the  seals,  that 
began  to  appear  when  the  cutter  was  fifty  miles  north 
of  Oonimak,  and  which  increased  in  numbers  as  the 
day  wore  on.  They  exhibited  very  little  fear  even  of 
the  steamer,  but  would  gaze  curiously  at  her  until  they 
deemed  her  too  near  for  their  own  safety,  when  they 
would  suddenly  sink  out  of  sight  and  dart  away  like  a 
flash. 

"  I  never  tire  of  watching  the  dear  things,"  said 
May  Matthews,  as  she  and  Phil  stood  together  in  the 
narrow  space  just  in  front  of  the  pilot-house.  "What 
with  their  quick  movements  and  lovely  great  brown 
eyes,  I  think  they  are  simply  fascinating ;  don't  you  ?" 

"  Indeed  I  do,"  answered  her  companion  ;  "  and 
though  this  is  the  first  opportunity  I  have  had  for 
studying  them  from  this  point  of  view,  I  shall  always 


186  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

think  of  them  after  this  as  the  most  graceful  and  in- 
teresting of  marine  animals." 

"  Do  you  know,"  continued  the  girl,  "  they  seem  to 
me  so  nearly  human  that  I  don't  see  how  any  one  can 
have  the  heart  to  kill  them;  do  you?" 

"  No,"  replied  Phil,  boldly,  "  I  do  not  ;  as  I  see  them 
now,  I  would  almost  as  soon  think  of  shooting  my  dear 
old  Irish  setter  Tab." 

In  making  this  reply  the  lad  was  but  expressing  the 
honest  sentiments  with  which  he  now  regarded  the 
business  that  had  once  seemed  to  him  so  harmless. 
He  was  thankful  to  discover,  as  he  thought  he  had 
from  her  conversation,  that  Miss  May  had  no  idea  of 
what  his  position  on  board  the  Seamew  had  been,  and 
determined  that  if  he  could  prevent  it  she  should  never 
learn  that  he  had  been  a  seal-hunter.  He  was  intense- 
ly chagrined,  therefore,  when,  as  he  finished  speaking, 
a  voice  from  the  pilot-house  window  directly  above 
their  heads  said  : 

"  Is  not  that  rather  a  curious  opinion  for  you  to  ex- 
press, Mr.  Ryder,  seeing  that  you  have  so  recently  and 
successfully  been  engaged  in  that  very  business  ?  For 
my  own  part,  I  can't  see  any  more  harm  in  killing  one 
of  those  seals  than  in  killing  a  sheep  ;  but  then  I'm 
very  practical  and  haven't  a  bit  of  sentiment." 

Looking  quickly  up  and  with  crimsoned  face,  Phil 
recognized  his  first  acquaintance  of  that  morning  ;  but 
before  he  could  utter  the  retort  that  sprang  to  his  lips, 
his  companion  said,  quietly  : 

"  Then  I,  for  one,  am  sorry  for  you,  Mr.  Ramey  ; 
for  it  does  not  seem  to  me  that  people  who  are  merely 
practical  get  the  fullest  enjoyment  out  of  life."  Then, 
before  the  young  lieutenant  could  make  reply,  she  ex- 
claimed: "Oh,  there  is  a  school  of  whales  !  Are  you 
well  acquainted  with  whales,  Mr.  Ryder?  Let  us  go 
aft  where  we  can  see  them  better." 


A    CRUISE    ON    A    BERING    SEA    CUTTER  187 

When  they  were  beyond  ear-shot  of  the  pilot-house 
the  girl  said :  "  I  hope  you  won't  mind  Mr.  Ramey. 
He  is  horrid,  anyway,  and  is  always  saying  disagree- 
able things.  He  hates  this  ship  and  this  station,  and 
is  awfully  provoked  because  papa  would  not  recom- 
mend him  for  a  vacancy  at  San  Francisco.  I  expect 
he  bears  you  a  grudge  on  account  of  the  sea-otter  skin, 
but  you  mustn't  care." 

"  I  only  feel  badly,"  replied  Phil,  "to  have  you  know 
that  I  was  a  seal-hunter.  Now  you  will  let  me  explain — 
won't  you? — that  I  only  shipped  on  the  Seamew  because 
I'd  lost  all  my  money,  and  couldn't  think  of  any  other 
way  of  getting  to  Sitka.  I  didn't  know  until  we  were 
out  at  sea  that  I  was  to  be  a  hunter.  Even  then  I 
didn't  realize  for  some  time  what  the  business  really 
meant.  When  I  did,  I  refused  to  have  anything  more 
to  do  with  it ;  and  that  is  the  reason  we  were  left  be- 
hind when  you  captured  the  schooner  and  took  her  to 
Sitka." 

"  Yes,  indeed.  I  know  all  about  it,"  replied  Miss 
May,  enthusiastically.  "  Serge  has  already  told  me  how 
nobly  you  behaved  when  that  horrid  captain  ordered 
you  out  to  shoot  the  poor  mother-seals.  It  was  a  per- 
fectly splendid  thing  to  do,  and  it  was  to  show  that 
I  feel  just  as  you  do  on  the  subject  that  I  said  what  I 
did  a  few  minutes  ago." 

Phil's  face  was  again  crimsoned,  though  this  time 
the  flush  was  not  one  of  anger.  It  was  very  pleasant 
to  be  thus  appreciated,  but  he  was  too  honest  a  fellow 
to  take  all  the  credit  to  himself. 

Did  he  also  tell  you  how  finely  he  and  Jalap  Coombs 
backed  me  up  on  that  occasion ;  and  that  if  they  hadn't 
I  should  have  been  forced  to  give  in  at  last  ?" 

"No  !  Tell  me,"  exclaimed  the  girl,  eagerly.  "  I  love 
to  hear  of  such  things — I  mean,  of  friends  standing  by 
each  other  through  thick  and  thin,  and  being  willing 


188  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

to  undergo  all  sorts  of  suffering  and  hardship  for  the 
sake  of  what  they  believe  to  be  right." 

So  Phil  told  her  of  the  stanch  friends  with  whom  he 
had  been  cast  away  on  Oonimak,  and  they  laughed 
together  over  "old  Kite  Roberson's "  wisdom  until 
dinner-time.  Then  they  separated,  for  Phil  and  Serge 
had  accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  with  the  officers  in 
the  ward-room. 

To  the  great  relief  of  the  former,  Mr.  Ramey  did  not 
appear  at  this  dinner,  being  compelled  to  remain  on 
duty  until  some  officer  who  had  finished  his  meal  would 
relieve  him.  The  other  hosts  of  the  occasion  formed  just 
such  a  genial,  jolly  party  of  bright  fellows  as  is  to  be 
met  with  in  Yankee  wardrooms  all  over  the  world, 
and  the  dinner  proved  a  great  success.  Although 
our  lads  were  slyly  chaffed  on  all  sides  concerning 
their  recent  experiences,  and  the  first-lieutenant's  ac- 
count of  how  he  had  conducted  them  to  the  cabin  as 
prisoners  of  war  was  received  with  shouts  of  laughter, 
the  story  of  their  adventures  was  listened  to  with 
closest  attention,  and  both  of  them  were  compliment- 
ed on  their  pluck  in  times  of  danger. 

Early  on  the  following  morning  the  Phoca,  steaming 
through  the  dense  fog  that  nearly  always  envelops 
the  Pribyloffs  in  summer-time,  was  suddenly  surround- 
ed by  incredible  numbers  of  screaming  sea-fowl.  Al- 
though the  noise  made  by  these  was  deafening,  it  was 
a  welcome  sound,  for  it  was  a  certain  sign  of  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  island  of  St.  George,  whose  precipitous  cliffs 
are  vast  bird  rookeries. 

Two  hours  later  the  still,  fog-laden  air  was  pervaded 
by  the  far-reaching  odor  of  the  seal  rookeries  and  kill- 
ing-grounds of  St.  Paul.  At  the  same  time  the  dull 
roar  of  its  restless  seal  millions  filled  miles  of  surround- 
ing space,  like  that  of  a  distant  Niagara.  The  darting 
forms  of  fur-seals  playing  fearlessly  about  the  ship 


A    CRUISE    ON    A   BERING    SEA    CUTTER  189 

were  to  be  seen  on  all  sides,  while  at  safer  distances 
bands  of  hair  -  seals  and  big  sea-lions  could  easily  be 
distinguished  from  their  more  graceful  cousins.  From 
fog-hidden  Walrus  Rock  came  the  deep  bass  roaring  of 
hundreds  of  the  unwieldy  long  -  tusked  monsters  from 
which  that  islet  derives  its  name,  though  it  is  chiefly 
noted  as  being  the  site  of  one  of  the  most  famous 
bird  rookeries  in  the  world.  Here,  too,  as  had  hap- 
pened off  the  bluff  coast  of  St.  George  a  few  hours  be- 
fore, sea-fowl  swarmed  about  the  ship  with  deafening 
cries,  both  in  the  water  and  in  the  air. 

Feeling  his  way  carefully  with  a  lead,  Captain  Mat- 
thews, who  had  been  here  many  times,  took  his  ship 
around  Reef  Point  and  anchored  her  in  three  fathoms 
of  water,  well  to  windward  of  St.  Paul,  nearly  a  mile 
off  shore,  and  so  beyond  the  influence  of  its  horrible 
odors. 

"  Now,"  said  he  to  Phil  and  Serge,  after  the  vessel 
had  been  made  snug,  "I  expect,. to  remain  here  three 
days,  unless  driven  from  my  anchorage  by  a  sou'wester. 
During  that  time,  while  you  would  be  heartily  wel- 
come on  board  ship,  I  should  advise  you  to  take  up 
your  quarters  on  shore,  as  there  is  so  much  for  you  to 
do  and  see  that  you  would  find  it  inconvenient  to  be 
constantly  interrupted  by  coming  off  for  your  meals. 
The  government  and  company  people  are  always  de- 
lighted to  entertain  visitors,  and  I  will  see  that  you 
have  the  proper  introductions.  Another  bit  of  my 
advice  is  to  put  on  your  old  Oonimak  clothes,  which 
will  be  in  keeping  with  those  universally  worn  on  the 
island,  and  will  prove  more  suitable  to  your  explora- 
tions than  anything  else." 

The  lads  accepted  both  these  pieces  of  advice,  and, 
after  bidding  good-bye  to  the  officers  and  to  Miss 
May,  who  positively  declined  to  visit  people  whose 
sole  business  was  the  killing  of  her  dear  seals,  they 


190  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

set  forth  from  the  ship  filled  with  eager  anticipations 
of  what  they  were  to  see. 

"  Remember,"  called  out  Miss  May  from  the  deck, 
"that  you  are  to  be  on  board  in  time  to  start  for 
Sitka." 

"Indeed  we  will!"  answered  both  lads  at  once. 
6<  We  won't  miss  it  this  time  even  if  we  have  to  accept 
your  father's  invitation  to  go  in  irons  !"  cried  Phil. 
"  Good-bye  !" 

Mr.  Ramey,  who  had  obtained  permission  to  go 
ashore  with  his  beloved  camera,  for  which  he  hoped  to 
find  sunlight  enough  after  a  while,  went  in  the  boat 
with  Captain  Matthews  and  the  lads. 

As  it  approached  the  shore  and  the  fog  began  to 
lift,  both  Phil  and  Serge  uttered  exclamations  of 
amazement.  To  the  left,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
literally  covering  the  land,  apparently  ranged  in 
platoons,  companies,  regiments,  and  armies,  were  the 
seals  in  countless  myriads,  an  incredible  mass  of  animal 
life.  They  were  in  ceaseless  motion ;  and  all,  from  old 
bulls  to  new-born  pups,  were  roaring,  barking,  spitting, 
yelping,  or  plaintively  calling,  until  the  whole  formed 
a  mighty  volume  of  sound  that  is  never  stilled,  night 
or  day,  from  the  time  the  seals  arrive  in  June  until 
they  depart  in  October. 

From  this  scene,  which  they  looked  forward  to  visit- 
ing later,  the  lads  turned  their  attention  to  the  village 
of  St.  Paul,  which  occupied  a  rising  ground  on  the 
right,  directly  above  the  beach.  Here  they  were  amazed 
to  see  a  collection  of  nearly  one  hundred  comfortable- 
looking  frame  -  houses,  a  number  of  warehouses  and 
other  company  buildings,  a  Greek  church,  a  store, 
and  a  school  -  house,  all  painted  white  and  neatly 
ranged  along  regularly  laid-out,  terraced  streets.  With 
its  general  air  of  prosperity,  neatness,  and  comfort 
this  sealing-station  in  far-away  Bering  Sea  compared 


A    CRUISE    ON    A    BERING    SEA    CUTTER  191 

favorably  with  thousands  of  other  American  villages 
scattered  over  more  favored  portions  of  the  country. 
There  were  no  shade  trees,  to  be  sure^nor  is  there  a 
tree  of  any  kind  on  the  island  ;  but  then  hone  is  needed, 
for  the  almost  perpetual  fog  does  away  with  the  neces- 
sity. High  above  the  village,  from  the  top  of  a  tall 
pole,  floated  an  American  flag.  As  Phil  Ryder  stepped 
ashore  and  looked  up  at  this  well-loved  emblem  of  his 
country,  he  realized  as  never  before  what  a  vast  and 
far-reaching  empire  it 'is,  and  his  heart  thrilled  with 
pride  at  the  thought  that  it  was  his  country  and  that 
was  his  flag. 


CHAPTER  XXX 
THE    THIRD    LIEUTENANT'S    HUMILIATING    POSITION 

A  THRONG  of  villagers  were  assembled  on  the  beach 
to  witness  the  landing  of  the  boat,  for  in  that  distant 
community  the  arrival  of  a  ship  bringing  news  from 
the  great  world  is  an  event  of  general  interest.  Every 
one  knew  Captain  Matthews,  and  all  wanted  to  shake 
hands  with  him ;  but  he  found  time  to  present  our  lads 
to  the  principal  men  of  the  place,  such  as  the  govern- 
ment inspector,  the  company's  agent,  the  priest,  and 
the  doctor  who  has  charge  of  the  hospital  in  which  all 
sick  or  wounded  villagers  are  cared  for  free  of  expense 
to  themselves.  All  of  these  extended  a  cordial  hos- 
pitality, and  promised  that  the  lads  should  be  well 
taken  care  of  during  their  short  stay,  and  shown  all 
the  sights. 

A  good-looking  young  Aleut,  who  was  the  possessor 
of  such  a  tremendously  long  and  mysterious  name  that 
neither  Phil  nor  Serge  dared  try  to  pronounce  it,  was 
introduced  to  them  as  the  school-teacher,  and  as  there 
was  no  school  at  that  season  he  at  once  offered  to  act 
as  their  guide. 

"  There  is  a  drive  going  on  now,"  he  said,  in  such 
perfect  English  as  to  surprise  them ;  "  and  if  you  care 
to  see  it  we  must  go  at  once." 

Agreeing  to  this,  the  visitors  started  off  with  their 
guide  in  the  direction  indicated. 

"  The  one  thing  that  gets  me  !"  exclaimed  Phil,  hold- 
ing his  nose  and  making  a  wry  face,  "  is,  how  you  peo- 


193 

pie  can  stand  this  awful  smell.  It  is  enough  to  breed 
sickness  and  cause  death." 

"Smell?"  repeated  the  guide.  "Is .there  a  smell? 
I  suppose  there  must  be,  for  I  have  heard  other  stran- 
gers complain  of  it;  but  I  don't  notice  it." 

"  And  yet  you  have  a  nose." 

"  Certainly  I  have  ;  but  then  I  was  born  here,  you 
know.  You  would  get  so  used  to  it  in  two  or  three 
weeks  that  you  would  not  be  troubled  by  it  any  more 
than  I  am." 

"  Would  I  ?"  asked  Phil,  incredulously. 

"Yes.  When  I  first  returned  from  the  East  I  must 
confess  that  I  noticed  it  a  little  for  a  day  or  two,  but 
I  quickly  forgot  it." 

"What  part  of  the  East  did  you  visit?"  inquired 
Serge,  thinking  that  he  meant  eastern  Alaska,  and 
perhaps  Sitka. 

"  Rutland,  Vermont,  where  I  was  educated,"  replied 
the  teacher,  simply. 

"  You  don't  say  so  !"  cried  Phil  ;  "  why,  I  am  from 
New  England  myself.  New  London,  Connecticut,  is 
my  home,  and  that  is  where  I  met  Serge,  too." 

"Then  I  am  doubly  glad  to  make  your  acquaint- 
ance," said  the  teacher,  "for  I  love  New  England  almost 
as  much  as  I  do  this  island.  The  people  there  were 
very  kind  to  me.  But  here  is  the  drive." 

A  thousand  seals,  all  young  males,  were  being  slow- 
ly driven  by  half  a  dozen  shouting  Aleuts  up  from  a 
beach,  or  "  hauling-ground  "  as  it  is  called,  two  miles 
away.  They  were  strung  out  in  a  long  panting  line, 
for  a  seal  finds  it  extremely  difficult  to  drag  himself 
along  on  dry  land,  and  must  be  allowed  to  rest  every 
few  minutes.  To  Phil's  surprise  they  were  as  docile 
as  sheep,  and  much  more  easy  to  drive,  because  they 
could  not  run. 

They  had  nearly  reached  the  killing-ground  when 

13 


194  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

our  lads  met  them,  and  there  they  were  allowed  to 
rest  for  an  hour,  in  order  that  they  might  cool  off.  If 
this  were  not  done,  and  if  they  were  killed  when  over- 
heated, the  hair  and  fur  would  drop  out  from  the  skin 
almost  as  soon  as  the  latter  was  removed,  rendering  it 
worthless. 

While  the  seals  were  thus  cooling,  the  killing-gang 
of  about  twenty  stalwart  young  natives,  all  armed 
with  six-foot  clubs  and  with  keen -edged  knives,  ar- 
rived upon  the  scene. 

"Where  do  they  get  those  tremendous  base -ball 
bats  ?"  inquired  Phil.  "  Do  they  come  from  the  main- 
land ?" 

"  Yes,"  laughed  the  guide,  "  and  from  the  other  side 
of  it,  too.  They  are  killing -clubs,  and  are  made  on 
purpose  for  this  work  in  your  own  town." 

"  Not  New  London,  Connecticut  !" 

"That's  the  very  place." 

"  But  why  do  you  call  them  killing-clubs  ?  Surely 
they  don't  beat  the  poor  brutes  to  death  with  those 
things." 

"Not  exactly.  But  they  kill  them  with  a  single 
blow  on  the  head,  and  then  cut  their  throats." 

"What  a  barbarous  way  !"  cried  Phil,  indignantly. 

"Oh  no,"  replied  the  teacher.  "It  may  seem  so 
to  you,  but  it  really  is  not.  The  seal's  skull  is  so 
thin  that  a  heavy  blow  crushes  it  and  kills  him  in- 
stantly." 

"  Why  not  shoot  them  ?" 

"  Because  that  would  be  a  less  certain  and  more  ex- 
pensive method,  and  then  the  noise  would  alarm  all 
the  other  seals.  They  are  easily  panic-stricken,  tame 
and  fearless  as  they  seem.  For  that  reason  not  a  gun 
or  a  dog  is  allowed  on  these  islands." 

While  they  were  thus  talking  the  killing  -  gang,  by 
command  of  their  native  foreman,  was  separating  a 


- 


THE    THIRD    LIEUTENANT'S   HUMILIATING    POSITION     195 

"  pod "  of  about  two  hundred  seals  from  the  rest  of 
the  drove.  These  were  urged  to  a  short  distance 
from  the  others,  where  they  were  closely  huddled  to- 
gether until  they  were  directly  beneath  the  uplifted 
clubs.  At  another  word  of  command  the  cruel  clubs 
descended  with  terrific  force,  and  the  work  of  killing 
was  begun. 

"Oh!"  cried  Phil,  "I  can't  stand  this!  It  is  too 
horrible !  Come  on,  Serge.  Let's  get  away  from  here." 

So,  to  the  surprise  of  the  teacher,  who  had  imagined 
that  his  new  friends  would  be  particularly  interested 
in  this  scene,  to  which  he  had  become  hardened  by  a 
a  life-long  familiarity,  they  turned  from  it  and  hurried 
away. 

If  they  had  remained  they  would  have  seen  the  dead 
seals  skinned  with  marvellous  dexterity,  and  the  skins 
loaded  into  mule-carts  to  be  driven  to  a  salt-house, 
where  they  would  lie  in  pickle  for  several  weeks  before 
being  rolled  into  bundles  of  twojeach,  and  stored  in  the 
company  warehouse.  At  the  end  of  the  season,  which 
closes  in  August,  during  which  month  the  seals  shed  their 
coats,  the  seventy  or  one  hundred  thousand  skins  repre- 
senting the  year's  take  would  be  shipped  on  the  com- 
pany's own  steamer  to  San  Francisco,  and  from  there 
to  London,  to  be  prepared  for  use,  as  described  in  a 
previous  chapter 

But  Phil  was  too  sick  at  heart  and  disgusted  with 
the  scene  he  had  just  witnessed  to  care  for  any  further 
details  of  the  business.  So,  followed  by  Serge  and  the 
teacher,  he  set  rapidly  off  in  the  direction  of  the  rook- 
eries or  breeding-grounds,  in  search  of  more  agreeable 
scenes. 

In  the  rookeries  the  lords  of  all  they  survey  are  the 
old  bulls,  huge  shaggy  fellows,  from  six  to  eighteen  or 
twenty  years  of  age.  These  arrive  at  the  islands  early 
in  May,  and  each  immediately  takes  possession  of  a 


196  THE  FUR-DEAL'S  TOOTH 

bit  of  the  bowlder -strewn  coast  about  twenty  feet 
square. 

"  He  files  a  homestead  claim  on  it,"  as  Serge  laugh- 
ingly remarked. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  guide,  "  and  he  is  ready  to  defend  it 
with  his  life,  if  necessary,  against  all  rivals." 

Here  he  remains,  unless  some  bull  more  powerful 
than  he  drives  him  away,  for  the  succeeding  three 
months.  During  that  time  he  neither  eats  nor  drinks, 
never  visits  the  sea,  and  only  takes  the  merest  snatches 
of  sleep.  His  entire  time  is  spent  in  roaring  out  fierce 
challenges  to  his  neighbors,  fighting  savage  battles 
with  them,  stealing  their  wives  whenever  he  gets  a 
chance,  and  in  protecting  his  own  against  other  seal 
wife-stealers  like  himself.  He  will  attack  a  man  who 
ventures  on  his  domain  as  quickly  as  he  will  a  brother- 
seal,  and  is  altogether  a  most  pugnacious  and  disagree- 
able old  fellow.  He  is  three  or  four  times  as  large 
as  the  gentle  little  female  seals  who  gather  around 
him,  and,  always  holding  himself  erect  with  defiantly 
uplifted  head,  towers  above  them  to  a  height  of  several 
feet. 

In  the  midst  of  all  this  fighting  and  incessant  com- 
motion the  fat  roly-poly  "  pups "  are  born,  and  here 
they  spend  a  month  or  so,  under  the  protecting  care  of 
their  mothers.  Then,  as  they  are  sociable  little  chaps, 
they  begin  to  herd  together  in  great  "pods,"  and 
roam  about  the  rookery  until  they  finally  reach  the 
water,  which  they  at  first  regard  with  great  amaze- 
ment and  dislike.  Gradually  they  paddle  into  its 
shallow  pools,  and  begin  to  learn  to  swim.  This  is 
such  a  hard  lesson  that  they  do  not  master  even  its 
ABC  for  several  weeks,  and  they  study  it  for  at  least 
a  month  before  graduating  into  the  deep-water  class. 

These  rookeries  are  never  disturbed  by  the  sealers, 
their  drives  being  always  made  from  among  the  count- 


197 

less  thousands  of  "  holluschickie,"  or  young  male  seals, 
whom  the  old  bulls  will  not  permit  to  occupy  the  same 
ground  with  themselves,  and  who,  whe.n  they  wish  to 
come  ashore,  are  forced  to  "  haul  up  "  on  the  adjacent 
beaches. 

Our  lads  were  immensely  interested  in  the  fights  of 
the  fierce  old  bulls  and  fascinated  by  the  comical  an- 
tics of  the  pups,  which  at  this  time  had  just  learned 
how  to  swim. 

While  they  were  wandering  here  and  there  amid  the 
files  of  this  vast  seal  army,  whose  members  were  too 
busy  with  their  own  concerns  to  pay  the  slightest  at- 
tention to  them — unless,  indeed,  they  happened  to  in- 
trude upon  the  domain  of  some  old  bull,  who  speedily 
warned  them  off — they  suddenly  came  upon  so  comical 
a  sight  that  it  caused  them  to  roar  with  laughter.  It 
was  nothing  more  nor  less  than  the  arrogant  young 
third  lieutenant  of  the  Phoca,  his  uniform  torn  and 
covered  with  mud,  seal  hairs,  and  filth,  trying  to  creep 
away  on  all-fours  from  the  territory  of  two  of  the  most 
savage  old  bulls  on  the  rookery.  As  was  afterwards 
learned,  he  had  made  a  dash  for  a  rocky  ridge,  from 
which  he  hoped  to  secure  a  fine  photograph,  when, 
half  -  way  up,  his  foot  had  slipped,  and,  dropping  his 
camera,  he  had  pitched  headlong  directly  under  the 
noses  of  two  rival  bulls  who  happened  to  be  contesting 
a  bit  of  ground  at  the  foot  of  the  ridge.  Instantly  they 
devoted  their  entire  attention  to  him,  and  every  time 
he  attempted  to  rise  they  promptly  knocked  him  down. 
Then  he  tried  to  crawl  away;  but  with  each  movement 
he  made  they  woul.d  rush  at  him  with  open  mouths  and 
gleaming  teeth,  only  to  retreat  a  few  feet  and  glare  at 
him  when  he  again  lay  still. 

It  was  fortunate  that  our  friends  appeared  on  the 
scene  when  they  did;  for  the  victim  of  this  awkward 
predicament  might  have  been  kept  there  until  utterly 


198 

exhausted  if  they  had  not.  As  it  was,  they  succeeded 
in  so  distracting  the  attention  of  the  savage  monsters 
that  he  effected  an  escape.  His  camera  was  ruined, 
and  he  was  filled  with  wrath,  not  only  against  the  seals, 
but  against  those  who  had  witnessed  his  ignominious 
position.  In  particular  was  he  wroth  against  poor  Phil, 
probably  because  he  of  the  three  rescuers  was  least 
able  to  restrain  his  laughter.  With  each  new  mental 
picture  of  the  situation  he  roared  afresh  until  the  tears 
streamed  from  his  eyes.  "  Hang  that  fellow  1"  mut- 
tered Mr.  Ramey  to  himself.  "He's  altogether  too 
fresh  !  But  I'll  find  some  way  to  cause  him  to  laugh 
from  the  other  side  of  his  mouth — see  if  I  don't !" 


CHAPTER  XXXI 
WHERE    IS   THE    CENTRE    OF   THE    UNITED    STATES? 

THE  more  Mr.  Ramey  reflected  upon  his  recent  ri- 
diculous adventure,  the  more  determined  he  became 
to  keep  its  history  from  reaching  the  ears  of  his  ship- 
mates on  board  the  Phoca,  if  such  a  thing  were  possi- 
ble. He  knew  that  if  it  once  got  into  the  wardroom 
he  would  never  hear  the  last  of  it,  for  nothing  more 
pleases  a  wardroom  mess  than  a  good  joke  at  the  ex- 
pense of  one  of  its  members.  The  story  is  told  and  re- 
told with  such  humorous  additions  as  may  suggest 
themselves  from  time  to  time.  It  is  treasured  up  to 
be  related  through  coming  years  in  many  different 
wardrooms  until,  unless  its  victim  is  sensible  and  good- 
natured,  it  weighs  upon  him  like  a  chronic  night- 
mare, and  causes  him  much  unhappiness.  Fortunately, 
most  wardroom  men  have  had  both  these  qualities 
thoroughly  rubbed  into  them  by  a  four-years'  course 
of  vigorous  polishing  at  Annapolis,  and  so  are  in  a 
condition  to  laugh  as  heartily  over  a  good  story  at 
their  own  expense  as  at  any  other.  Unfortunately,  in 
the  present  case,  Mr.  Ramey  was  not  an  Annapolis 
man,  and  had  not  yet  learned  to  take  such  things  good- 
naturedly.  Then,  too,  as  he  was  very  fond  of  jokes  at 
the  expense  of  others,  he  realized  how  bitter  and  nau- 
seous the  dose  would  be  made  for  him.  Therefore,  he 
mentally  vowed  that,  if  he  could  compass  it,  neither 
Philip  Ryder  nor  Serge  Belcofsky  should  again  set 
foot  on  the  deck  of  the  good  ship  Phoca.  To  this  end 
he  began  to  scheme,  even  while  they  were  brushing 


200  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

the  dirt  of  the  rookery  from  his  uniform,  and  from  the 
very  first  fortune  seemed  to  favor  him. 

"I  wouldn't  mention  this  if  I  were  you,"  he  said  in 
a  low  tone  to  the  lads,  "until  we  are  once  more  aboard 
ship  and  away  from  the  island,  because  there  is  such 
a  strong  feeling  here  against  any  one  who  disturbs  a 
rookery  that  it  might  get  me  into  trouble.  Of  course 
it  is  too  good  a  yarn  to  withhold  from  the  wardroom, 
but  it  will  be  all  the  better  for  being  kept  a  few  days." 

"  All  right,"  replied  Phil,  striving  politely  to  smoth- 
er his  laughter;  "  we  won't  speak  of  it  on  the  island." 
At  the  same  time  the  lad  smiled  to  think  how  he 
should  enjoy  telling  it  to  Miss  May,  and  how  heartily 
that  appreciative  daughter  of  the  sea  would  laugh 
over  it. 

Captain  Matthews  dined  ashore  with  the  company's 
agent  that  day,  while  Mr.  Ramey  and  our  lads  had 
accepted  an  invitation  from  the  government  inspector, 
under  whose  hospitable  roof  the  latter  were  also  to 
spend  the  night. 

During  the  meal,  at  which,  in  honor  of  the  guests, 
were  served  all  the  delicacies  of  the  islands,  Phil  paid 
particular  attention  to  a  large  omelette,  a  dish  of 
which  he  was  very  fond.  As  he  had  seen  no  fowls 
about  the  village,  he  inquired  of  his  host  where  he 
kept  his  hens. 

"  Oh,  just  around  the  corner  !"  laughed  the  inspect- 
or, "where  we  have  a  chicken  ranch  containing  sev- 
eral millions  of  egg-laying  fowls.  By-the-way,"  he  con- 
tinued, more  soberly,  "  that  is  one  of  the  sights  of  this 
region,  and  you  ought  certainly  to  visit  it  before  leav- 
ing here.  It — Walrus  Island,  I  mean — supports  the 
most  accessible  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  populous 
and  densely-packed  bird  rookeries  in  the  world  out- 
side of  the  Antarctic  Ocean.  That  is  where  we  keep 
our  million  or  so  of  hens,  only  we  call  them  gulls,  murres, 


WHERE    IS  THE    CENTRE    OF  THE    UNITED  STATES?     201 

arries,  auks,  chookies,  sea -parrots,  and  cormorants. 
On  the  five  or  six  acres  of  level  surface  offered  by 
Walrus  they  are  packed  as  tightly  .as  sardines  in  a 
box  ;  they  are  everlastingly  quarrelling  among  them- 
selves, and  yet  they  are  so  perfectly  fearless  of  man 
that  they  will  scarcely  move  out  of  the  way  to  avoid 
being  stepped  on.  Yes,  indeed,  it  is  a  sight  you  ought 
not  to  miss.  A  boat  is  sent  over  from  here  every  few 
days  after  eggs,  of  which  six  men  will  collect  several 
tons  in  as  many  hours.  If  I  find  that  one  is  going 
over  in  time  for  you  to  make  the  trip,  I  will  let  you 
know,  and  I  should  advise  you  to  take  it." 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  said  Phil.  "I  should  like  it 
above  all  things." 

"There  is  another  thing  on  hand  just  now,"  contin- 
ued the  inspector,  "  that  I  think  would  interest  you  im- 
mensely. Have  you  ever  seen  a  sea-lion  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  Phil,  "  I  shot  two  only  the  other 
day." 

"Then  you  know  what  great  ferocious -appearing 
monsters  they  are.  Would  you  believe  that  a  herd  of 
them  could  be  driven  out  on  land,  and  kept  for  days 
at  a  time  within  a  corral,  or  fence,  of  nothing  but 
sticks,  strings,  and  bits  of  fluttering  cotton  rags,  such 
as  a  child  could  easily  tear  down  ?" 

"  No,"  answered  Phil.     "  It  doesn't  seem  possible." 

"  Well,  it  is,"  said  the  inspector,  "  and  you  can  see 
that  very  thing  to-morrow,  if  you  care  to  visit  North- 
east Point.  You  see,  as  we  kill  all  our  seals  for  ^the 
year  inside  of  a  month,  we  made  our  last  drive  of  this 
season  to-day.  A  lot  of  our  young  men,  being  thus  set  at 
liberty,  have  gone  over  to  Northeast  to  begin  a  sea- 
lion  drive  on  their  own  account.  The  skins  are  valu- 
able for  making  boats,  you  know,  while  the  flesh  is  es- 
teemed much  more  highly  than  that  of  a  seal." 

"But  how  can  they  drive  sea  -  lions  ?"  asked  Phil. 


202  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  I  thought  they  were  so  shy  that  a  man  couldn't  get 
near  them." 

"  So  they  are,  and  for  that  reason  they  can  only  be 
approached  at  night,  when  they  are  asleep  on  the 
beach,  and  then  only  by  exercise  of  the  utmost  caution. 
The  hunters  creep  along  the  beach,  among  its  many 
bowlders,  on  all-fours,  until  they  are  between  the  herd 
and  the  water.  Then  they  jump  up  with  waving  arms 
and  a  wild  yelling  that  frightens  the  sea-lions  almost 
out  of  their  senses.  Those  that  have  been  asleep,  with 
their  noses  pointed  towards  the  sea,  rush  into  the 
water  with  such  force  that  nothing  could  stop  them, 
and  so  escape.  At  the  same  time,  those  who  are  so 
unfortunate  as  to  be  headed  inland  when  thus  rudely 
awakened,  rush  with  equal  precipitation  in  that  direc- 
tion. The  natives  close  in  behind  them,  dancing,  bran- 
dishing weapons,  screaming,  making  all  sorts  of  fran- 
tic noises,  and  so  drive  them  at  a  sort  of  a  lumbering 
gallop  for  several  hundred  feet,  when  the  frenzied  ani- 
mals, breathless  and  exhausted,  fall  panting  to  the 
ground.  Instead  of  killing  them  where  they  are,  the 
natives  allow  them  to  rest  a  few  minutes.  Then  they 
rouse  and  urge  them  forward  by  all  manner  of  de- 
vices, the  most  successful  of  which  is  the  sudden  open- 
ing of  gingham  umbrellas  in  their  faces.  When  they 
have  got  the  herd  out  of  sight  of  the  water,  behind 
some  sand-dune,  they  crowd  them  together  and  run  a 
fence  of  strings  around  them  in  no  time.  The  strings 
are  supported  by  slender  sticks  thrust  into  the  sand, 
each  of  which  bears  a  bit  of  fluttering  cotton  cloth. 
Here  the  forty  or  fifty  big  brutes  are  as  securely  fenced 
as  though  behind  stone  walls,  and  here  they  remain 
for  several  weeks,  or  until  three  or  four  hundred  of 
their  kind  have  been  secured  and  herded  with  them. 
During  this  time,  instead  of  remaining  stupidly  quiet, 
as  you  might  imagine,  they  are  constantly  on  the  alert, 


WHERE    IS   THE   CENTRE    OF  THE    UNITED    STATES?     203 

writhing,  fighting,  and  climbing  over  each  other  with 
incessant  motion." 

"  Seems  to  me  I  never  heard  of  anything  so  stupid  !" 
exclaimed  Phil. 

"Did  you  ever  hear  of  any  one  being  afraid  of 
ghosts  ?"  asked  the  inspector. 

"Yes,  sir,  I  believe  I  have." 

"  Well,  it  seems  to  me  that  such  people  are  just  as 
silly  and  stupid  as  the  sea-lions,  who  are  afraid  of  bits 
of  fluttering  cotton  cloth.  Doesn't  it  to  you  ?" 

"  Of  course  it  does,  sir !"  answered  the  lad,  heartily, 
for  John  Ryder  had  taught  his  son  to  regard  all  forms 
of  superstition  as  the  result  of  combined  cowardice  and 
ignorance.  "  But  while  I  should  hate  to  meet  or  know 
any  person  who  is  such  a  coward  as  to  believe  in  and 
be  afraid  of  ghosts,  I  should  dearly  love  to  see  a  herd 
of  sea-lions  in  a  corral  of  strings.  So  I  think  I  will  go 
over  there  to-morrow.  I  shall  have  plenty  of  time, 
sha'n't  I,  Mr.  Ramey  ?" 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  lieutenant,  "  you  have  still 
two  days  and  two  nights  to  spend  ashore ;  or,  rather, 
you  have  two  whole  days,  for  the  nights  here  are  so 
short  now  that  they  are  hardly  worth  counting." 

"By -the -way,  Ramey,"  remarked  the  inspector, 
"  speaking  of  nights,  do  you  remember  the  questions 
you  promised  to  look  up  for  me  when  you  were  last 
here?  One  was  whether  sunlight  was  ever  absent 
from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  at  once,  and  the 
other  was,  where  is  the  centre  of  this  country  between 
the  east  and  the  west  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  lieutenant,  "  I  do  and  I  have 
looked  them  up.  In  summer  the  sun  may  always  be 
seen  from  one  part  or  another  of  United  States  terri- 
tory ;  for  it  rises  over  Eastport,  Maine,  before  it  sets 
on  Attu  Island.  As  to  the  east-and-west  centre  of 
the  country,  it  is — " 


204 

"  Where  do  you  say  ?"  interrupted  the  inspector, 
and  putting  the  question  to  Phil. 

"  Omaha,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

"  Do  you  think  so,  too  ?"  asked  the  inspector  of  Serge. 

"No,  sir.  I  should  think  it  might  be  somewhere 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains." 

Phil  laughed  at  this,  but  the  inspector  said:  "Don't 
laugh  too  soon,  my  lad.  I  expect  he  is  more  nearly 
right  than  you.  How  is  it,  Rainey  ?" 

"  They  are  both  pretty  far  out  in  their  guesses,"  re- 
plied the  young  officer,  delighted  at  this  opportunity 
of  exposing  the  ignorance  of  "these  youngsters,"  as 
he  mentally  termed  them.  "  Omaha  is  away  off  the 
mark,  and  the  'somewhere  west  of  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains' is  very  indefinite.  The  truth  is  that  Attu,  the 
westernmost  Aleutian  island,  being  very  nearly  three 
thousand  miles  to  the  westward  of  San  Francisco, 
makes  that  city  practically  the  midway  point.  In 
reality,  though,  the  point  is  still  some  sixty  miles  to 
the  westward  of  the  Golden  Gate,  while  the  exact 
geographical  centre  of  the  United  States  is  at  a  point 
in  the  Pacific  forty  miles  off  the  mouth  of  the  Columbia 
River." 

"  Well !"  cried  Phil,  laughing.   "  So  that  is  the  case—" 

"I  can  assure  you  that  it  is,"  interrupted  Mr.  Ramey, 
stiffly,  "  for  I  made  the  calculations  myself." 

"  I  had  no  intention  of  doubting  the  correctness  of 
your  figures,"  responded  Phil,  in  a  tone  that  was  pain- 
fully polite.  "  I  was  only  about  to  say,  if  that  is  the 
case,  when  the  seals  leave  here  they  seek  winter- quar- 
ters in  the  very  centre  of  the  country." 

This  Mr.  Ramey  considered  a  very  flippant  manner 
of  treating  a  problem  upon  the  solution  of  which  he 
had  exhausted  his  entire  stock  of  mathematics,  and  it 
confirmed  him  in  his  opinion  that  this  young  Ryder 
was  decidedly  "  fresh." 


WHERE    IS  THE    CENTRE    OF  THE   UNITED    STATES?     205 

Soon  after  this  Captain  Matthews  and  his  third 
lieutenant  returned  to  the  cutter,  while  our  lads  visited 
the  library,  the  hospital,  the  quaint  Greek  church,  and 
the  interiors  of  several  native  houses,  wliich  they  found 
to  be  surprisingly  neat  and  comfortable.  Having  thus 
seen  all  there  was  of  interest  in  the  immediate  vicinity, 
they  turned  in  to  get  a  good  night's  rest,  preparatory 
to  their  long  trip  of  the  morrow. 


CHAPTER  XXXII 
WHY  THE  CUTTER  DEPARTED  WITHOUT  HER  PASSENGERS 

PHIL  and  Serge,  in  planning  their  expedition  to 
Northeast  Point  to  visit  the  sea-lion  hunters,  expected 
to  walk  the  entire  distance,  which  is  about  ten  miles. 
At  breakfast-time,  however,  they  were  told  by  the  in- 
spector that  he  had  arranged  to  have  them  taken  in  a 
bidarrah,  or  large  open  boat,  the  wooden  frame  of 
which  is  covered  with  sea-liori  skins.  He  also  had  a 
supply  of  provisions  put  up  for  them,  had  ordered  out 
a  crew  of  six  men  to  row  the  bidarrah,  and  had  taken 
every  precaution  to  make  their  trip  comfortable  and 
enjoyable.  The  boat  was  to  return  that  same  day, 
and  would  bring  the  lads  back  in  plenty  of  time  for 
supper,  which  they  had  been  invited  to  take  with  the 
priest  of  the  little  Greek  church. 

Although  the  morning  was  damp  and  chilly,  both 
lads  thoroughly  enjoyed  the  unique  trip  up  the  coast. 
Phil  had  brought  along  his  kamleika,  which  kept  him 
perfectly  dry,  and  Serge  did  not  seem  to  mind  the 
dampness  any  more  than  the  natives  themselves, 
who  fairly  revel  in  wet,  foggy  weather,  and  are  never 
more  uncomfortable  than  when  the  sun  shines  out 
warm,  as  it  occasionally  does,  even  over  the  Priby- 
loffs. 

On  the  present  trip  there  was  just  fog  enough  to 
keep  the  crew  of  the  bidarrah  in  good  spirits,  without 
hanging  so  low  as  to  conceal  the  shore  line.  Conse- 
quently, the  wonderful  seal-life  in  the  water  and  on 
land,  through  and  past  which  the  boat  moved,  was 


WHY    THE    CUTTER    DEPARTED  207 

plainly  visible.  From  end  to  end  of  the  island  the 
coast  was  crowded  with  it,  and  by  the  time  the  bidar- 
rah  reached  its  destination  Phil  declared  that  he  be- 
lieved all  the  "  sea-bears  "  of  the  world  must  be  col- 
lected in  that  one  place. 

They  found  the  camp  of  the  hunting-party  in  and 
about  an  old  native  hut  that  reminded  the  visitors  of 
the  one  they  had  occupied  on  Oonimak  Island.  It  was 
behind  a  range  of  low  sand-dunes,  and  just  beyond  it 
they  caught  sight  of  the  chief  attraction  of  the  place, 
a  small  herd  of  sea-lions,  great  shaggy  fellows,  very 
much  larger  than  seals,  ramping  and  floundering  about 
behind  an  enclosure  of  strings.  The  situation  struck 
our  lads  as  so  comical  that  they  laughed  at  it  until 
they  were  actually  tired  with  laughing.  For  an  hour 
they  watched  the  frantic  efforts  of  the  uncouth  beasts 
to  discover  some  point  of  escape  that  was  not  guarded 
by  a  fluttering  white  rag.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
they  were  called  to  dinner,  which  was  served  in  the 
old  hut,  and  which  proved  so  much  better  than  they 
expected  that  they  ate  it  with  real  enjoyment. 

One  of  the  hunters  who  could  speak  a  little  English 
told  them  that  if  the  wind  proved  favorable  that  night 
he  and  his  companions  would  make  another  drive,  and 
Phil  declared  that  he  meant  to  stay,  in  the  hope  of 
seeing  it. 

"  It  must  be  one  of  the  most  curious  hunting  scenes 
in  the  world,"  he  said,  "and  I  shall  probably  never 
have  another  chance  to  see  it.  I  don't  live  in  Alaska, 
you  know  ;  besides,  I'd  a  thousand  times  rather  spend 
a  night  out  here  than  in  the  village,  where  I  must 
breathe,  the  awful-smelling  air  of  the  killing-grounds. 
So  if  you  will  make  my  excuses  to  the  priest,  like  a 
good  fellow,  I  think  I'll  stay.  We  have  plenty  of 
time,  you  know." 

"All  right,"  replied  Serge  ;  "but  as  I  want  to  see 


208  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

those  queer  old  Russian  books  the  priest  promised  to 
show  us,  I  think  I'll  go  back  in  the  bidarrah." 

As  this  boat  was  ready  to  leave  directly  after  din- 
ner, the  lads  bade  each  other  good-bye,  Phil  promising 
to  make  his  way  to  the  village  on  foot  early  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  so  as  to  reach  it  in  plenty  of  time  to 
rejoin  the  Phoca. 

After  his  friend's  departure  he  again  visited  the 
captive  lions,  and  wondered,  as  he  watched  them,  if 
they  were  the  same  as  those  he  had  read  of  on  the  so- 
called  "seal  rocks"  of  San  Francisco.  If  his  friend 
the  inspector  had  been  there,  he  would  have  told  him 
they  were  not;  that  the  seal-rock  sea-lions  were  of  a 
variety  found  only  on  the  Californian  coast,  and  that 
they  do  riot  attain  more  than  half  the  size  of  their 
great  Alaskan  cousins. 

When  tired  of  this  amusement  Phil  wandered  to  a 
point  commanding  a  fine  view  of  the  great  seal  herds, 
and  became  so  absorbed  in  watching  them  that  the  af- 
ternoon passed  before  he  knew  it,  and  he  was  surprised 
when  the  hunter  who  could  speak  English  called  him 
to  an  early  supper.  After  it,  Phil  and  this  hunter 
went  together  to  the  beach,  where,  to  the  lad's  great 
disappointment,  the  latter  said  he  feared  there  would 
be  no  sea -lion  drive  that  night,  as  the  wind  showed 
signs  of  changing. 

While  they  talked  of  this  a  boat  appeared,  coming 
from  the  direction  of  the  village.  One  of  its  occu- 
pants, all  of  whom  were  natives,  stepped  ashore,  and 
talked  for  a  minute  with  the  hunter. 

"  He  says,"  remarked  the  latter,  turning  to  Phil, 
"that  they  are  bound  for  Walrus  Island  after  eggs, 
and  that  if  you  want  to  go  they  will  take  you.  They 
will  stay  all  night,  but  will  start  back  for  the  village 
early  in  the  morning." 

"  That  suits  me  !"  exclaimed  Phil ;  "  so  long  as  there 


WHY    THE    CUTTER    DEPARTED  209 

isn't  to  be  any  lion-hunt,  a  hunt  for  birds'  eggs  in  an 
Arctic  rookery  is  the  next  best  thing.  Besides,  if 
these  fellows  will  carry  me  back  to  town  in  their  boat, 
I  shall  be  saved  the  long,  lonely  tramp,  for  which  I 
didn't  care  very  much  anyhow." 

With  this  Phil  bade  his  hunter  friend  good-bye  and 
stepped  into  the  big  boat,  which  was  immediately 
shored  off  and  headed  for  Walrus  Islet,  six  miles  away. 

About  an  hour  later  the  inmates  of  the  hunting- 
camp  were  startled  by  the  sudden  appearance  among 
them  of  Serge  Belcofsky,  hot  and  breathless,  as  though 
he  had  run  all  the  way  from  the  village. 

"  Where  is  my  friend  ?"  he  shouted,  darting  search- 
ing glances  about  the  dim  interior. 

"Gone  to  Morzovia  for  eggs,"  replied  the  English- 
speaking  hunter. 

"  Oh  !"  groaned  Serge.  "  How  could  he  do  such  a 
thing?  Now  we  shall  be  too  late,  and  the  cutter  will 
go  without  us." 

His  distress  was  so  real  that,  while  not  wholly  un- 
derstanding its  cause,  the  good-natured  Aleut  took  pity 
on  him  and  said :  "  My  bidarkie  is  here.  It  has  two 
holes.  If  you  like,  we  will  go  to  Morzovia.  You  may 
then  fetch  your  friend  back.  I  will  come  in  the  bi- 
darrah." 

Anything  was  better  than  a  whole  night  of  inaction. 
It  was  possible  that  the  cutter  would  wait  for  them, 
and  they  might  yet  get  back  to  the  village  in  time. 
Thus  thinking,  Serge  eagerly  accepted  this  generous 
offer,  and  a  few  minutes  later  the  light  "bidarkie  was 
skimming  the  darkening  waters  of  the  open  sea  in  the 
direction  of  Walrus  Islet. 

To  understand  the  existing  condition  of  affairs  we 
must  have  been  at  the  village  about  the  time  Phil  and 
Serge  were  eating  dinner  with  the  sea -lion  hunters. 
A  newly-arrived  steamer  had  just  dropped  anchor  near 


210  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

the  Phoca,  and  her  master,  a  stoutly  -  built  German 
named  Kuhn,  was  on  his  way  to  visit  and  report 
to  Captain  Matthews.  His  ship  was  the  Norsk,  a 
tramp  steamer  from  San  Francisco,  bound  for  the 
mouth  of  the  great  Yukon  River,  with  men  and  sup- 
plies for  a  new  Alaskan  fur-trading  company.  He  had 
touched  at  St.  Paul  for  information  and,  if  possible,  to 
obtain  a  pilot. 

More  important  than  all  the  rest  of  his  news,  in  Cap- 
tain Matthews'  estimation,  was  that  of  a  certain  mys- 
terious schooner  which  the  master  of  the  Norsk  had 
seen  in  Oonalaska  harbor.  He  could  learn  nothing 
definite  as  to  her  movements,  but  it  was  commonly 
reported  that  she  had  been  chartered  at  a  big  price  to 
go  into  Bering  Sea  after  seal-skins. 

"Confound  these  poachers!"  exclaimed  Captain 
Matthews.  "  I  no  sooner  get  rid  of  one  than  anoth- 
er appears.  Mr.  Ramey,  you  will  please  go  ashore 
with  the  gig,  intercept  Mr.  Ryder  and  Mr.  Belcofsky 
the  moment  they  return  from  Northeast  Point,  and 
bring  them  back  with  you.  Tell  them  we  shall  leave 
for  the  southward  the  moment  they  get  on  board,  and 
that  at  any  rate  we  must  be  out  of  here  before  sunset." 

As  the  third  lieutenant  was  rowed  towards  the  village 
his  mind  was  filled  with  unpleasant  reflections.  Those 
chaps  were  to  come  on  board  again,  after  all,  and 
through  them  he  would  be  made  a  butt  of  ridicule  for 
the  wardroom  mess.  It  was  tough  luck,  and  he  wished 
they  were  in  Halifax,  or  some  other  distant  port,  at  that 
moment,  instead  of  on  the  seal  island  of  St.  Paul. 

When  he  reached  the  landing  he  found  that  they 
had  not  returned.  He  also  found  the  egg-bidarrah 
just  about  to  start  for  an  all -night's  trip  to  Walrus 
Islet.  Now  Mr.  Ramey  had  picked  up  a  fair  knowl- 
edge of  the  Aleut  language,  armed  with  which,  and  a 
silver  dollar,  he  approached  the  native  skipper  of  the 


'  VERY  WELL,  MR.  BELCOFSKY  J  DO  AS  YOU  PLEASE  '  " 


WHY    THE    CUTTER    DEPARTED  211 

egg -boat.  "The  young  white  gentlemen,"  he  said, 
"  wish  very  much  to  visit  Morzoria.  They  are  now 
coming  in  a  bidarrah  from  Northeast  Point.  Here  is 
a  dollar,  which  is  yours  if  you  will  kindly  stop  when 
you  meet  that  bidarrah  and  invite  them  to  go  with 
you." 

The  native  willingly  agreed  to  do  this,  and  a  mo- 
ment later  he  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  egg- 
boat  shove  off.  "The  scheme  may  work,  or  it  may 
not,"  he  said  to  himself.  "  At  any  rate,  it  is  worth 
trying.  It  gives  me  one  more  chance,  and  it  won't 
hurt  those  young  beggars  to  wait  here  a  week  or  so 
longer,  until  some  other  ship  comes  along  to  take  them 
off." 

Half-way  up  the  coast  the  egg  -  boat  met  the  other 
bidarrah,  and  Serge  received  an  invitation  to  go  to 
Walrus  Islet,  which  he  declined.  When  he  reached 
the  village  he  found  Mr.  Ramey  patiently  waiting. 

"Where  is  Ryder?"  asked  the^ young  officer. 

"He  decided  to  stay  behind  and  spend  the  night 
with  the  hunters,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Then  he'll  be  apt  to  get  left,  for  the  cutter  is  to 
sail  as  soon  as  you  and  I  can  get  aboard." 

Serge  was  thunderstruck.  For  a  moment  he  knew 
not  what  to  do  or  say.  Then  a  sudden  plan  flashed 
into  his  mind. 

"  Mr.  Ramey,"  he  said,  "  I  am  going  overland  to 
fetch  my  friend  :  it  is  the  quickest  way.  Will  you 
kindly  beg  Captain  Matthews  to  wait  for  us  just  as 
long  as  he  can  ?  I  know  we  can  be  back  before  mid- 
night." 

"  Very  well,  Mr.  Belcof sky ;  do  as  you  please,"  re- 
plied the  officer.  Then  without  another  word  Serge 
set  off  on  a  run  for  the  distant  point  where  he  expect- 
ed to  find  Phil. 

Mr.  Ramey  returned  to  the  ship  and  reported  that 


212  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

he  believed  the  young  gentlemen  had  gone  to  Walrus 
Islet  egg-hunting,  and  it  was  doubtful  if  they  returned 
before  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day. 

"The  young  scamps !"  exclaimed  Captain  Matthews. 
"So  they  have  given  me  the  slip,  after  all !  Well,  I 
can't  wait  for  them  now,  but  will  come  back  and  pick 
them  up  after  we  run  down  this  new  poacher." 

On  hearing  this  Mr.  Ramey  was  greatly  troubled, 
and  became  filled  with  a  fear  that  haunted  him  for 
some  days. 

So  the  Phoca  sailed  away,  and  her  recent  passengers 
were  left  behind. 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 
IN     HOT     PURSUIT 

CAPTAIN  MATTHEWS  had  obtained  the  name  of  the 
suspicious  schooner  from  the  master  of  the  JVbrsh  It 
was  Philomel,  and  he  at  once  recognized  it  as  that  of 
a  well-known  craft  belonging  to  a  sea -otter  trader, 
which  he  had  frequently  seen  plying  her  honest  voca- 
tion among  the  islands  of  the  Aleutian  chain.  "That 
is  a  new  dodge  and  a  good  one,"  he  muttered.  "  The 
rascals  knew  the  risk  of  bringing  a  strange  vessel  into 
the  sea,  and  so  have  chartered  a  well  -  known  craft, 
thinking  that  she  can  go  where  she  pleases  without  ex- 
citing suspicion.  I  am  on  to  their  game,  though,  and 
they  must  be  a  good  deal  smarter  than  I  think  they 
are  if  we  don't  have  them  alongside  before  many  days 
are  past." 

The  Phoca  first  ran  down  to  Oonalaska  and  dropped 
anchor  in  Captain's  Harbor  on  the  second  day  after 
leaving  St.  Paul.  Here  her  commander  learned,  with- 
out going  ashore,  that  the  Philomel  had  been  chartered 
by  one  Jalap  Coombs,  and  had  cleared  five  days  be- 
fore for  a  general  trading  voyage  to  Oonimak  Island 
and  other  Bering  Sea  points  lying  to  the  eastward. 

"  Ho  !  ho !  my  veteran  poacher  with  the  medicinal 
name!  It  is  you,  is  it?  and  up  to  your  old  tricks!" 
said  Captain  Matthews  to  himself,  as  he  ordered  his 
vessel  to  be  got  under  way  for  the  eastward. 

Late  that  same  afternoon  the  schooner  Philomel  was 
reported  at  anchor  off  the  northeast  point  of  Oonimak, 
and  close  in  shore. 


214  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  Very  good,  sir,"  said  the  captain  to  his  first  lieu- 
tenant, who  made  this  report ;  "  we  will  anchor  for  the 
night  a  cable's  length  outside  of  her,  and  you  will  at 
once  send  an  officer  on  board  to  make  a  careful  ex- 
amination of  her  cargo.  If  he  finds  anything  sus- 
picious about  her — any  guns,  extra  boats,  or  other  evi- 
dences of  a  sealing  outfit — let  him  bring  her  skipper 
back  with  him." 

To  the  surprise  of  those  on  board  the  cutter,  she 
had  barely  dropped  anchor  before  a  small  boat  con- 
taining two  men  was  seen  to  put  off  from  the  schooner 
and  come  towards  her.  Captain  Matthews,  who  was 
curious  to  see  what  sort  of  a  man  he  had  to  deal  with, 
stepped  on  deck  in  time  to  receive  a  genuine  surprise. 
Instead  of  the  old  sea-dog  whom  he  expected,  he  be- 
held a  fine-looking  man  of  middle  age,  wearing  an  iron- 
gray  mustache,  and  clad  in  the  soft  hat,  corduroy  suit, 
knee-breeches,  worsted  stockings,  and  heavy  walking 
shoes  of  a  gentleman  tourist  or  sportsman.  Lifting  his 
hat  as  he  stepped  on  deck  and  approached  the  captain, 
the  stranger  asked : 

"Are  you  the  commander  of  this  vessel,  sir  ?" 

"  I  am,"  replied  Captain  Matthews.  Then,  thinking 
to  display  at  once  the  extent  of  his  information,  he 
added  :  "  And  you,  I  presume,  are  the  person  who  has 
chartered  yonder  schooner  ?" 

"  I  am,  sir,"  answered  the  stranger;  "and  my  name  is — " 

"  Coombs,  is  it  not  ?" 

"  Oh  no !  Mr.  Coombs  is  still  in  the  boat,  and  we 
have  come  off  to  beg  your  assistance.  As  I  was  about 
to  say,  my — " 

"Excuse  me,"  interrupted  the  captain,  "but  I  fear 
you  are  applying  to  the  wrong  person  for  assistance  in 
the  business  in  which  you  are  engaged." 

"  Do  you  know  what  it  is,  then  ?"  asked  the  stranger, 
with  an  air  of  surprise. 


IN    HOT   PURSUIT  215 

"  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  you  are  after  seal- 
skins," was  the  reply,  given  with  an  air  that  seemed  to 
say:  "Deny  it  if  you  can." 

"I  am  willing  to  acknowledge  that  part  of  our  busi- 
ness here  was  to  secure  certain  seal-skins  that  had  been 
left  on  yonder  island.  That,  however,  devolved  en- 
tirely upon  Mr.  Coombs,  and  was  something  with 
which  I  had  nothing  to  do.  My  errand  here,  and  the 
one  in  which  I  hoped  for  your  assistance,  is  the  search- 
ing for  a  lost  boy — my  own  son,  in  fact.  He  was  known 
to  be  on  Oonimak  Island  two  weeks  ago;  but  now,  though 
we  have  scoured  the  island  from  end  to  end,  we  can 
discover  no  traces  of  him." 

"Bless  my  soul!"  cried  Captain  Matthews.  "And 
your  name  is — " 

"  John  Ryder;  while  that  of  my  lost  boy,  on  whose 
account  I  am  suffering  the  greatest  anxiety,  is  Philip 
—Philip  Ryder." 

"  Yes,  yes  !  my  dear  sir !  I  know  him  well,  the  young 
scamp  !  And  you  may  instantly  set  your  mind  at  rest 
concerning  him.  He  is  safe,  sound,  and  hearty,  not 
far  from  here — in  a  place  from  which  he  cannot  possibly 
escape.  Why !  he  was  on  board  this  very  ship  only  a 
few  days  ago." 

"  But  where  is  he  now  ?"  asked  Mr.  Ryder,  eagerly. 

"Just  over  here  on  one  of  the  Pribyloff  Islands, 
where  you  will  find  him  as  snug  as  a  bug  in  a  rug  ; 
only  I  defy  you  to  distinguish  him  from  a  dozen  of  the 
other  young  Aleuts  there." 

"Then,"  sighed  the  happily  relieved  but  still  anx- 
ious father,  "  he  is  still  three  hundred  miles  away  from 
me." 

"  Oh  no !  not  so  far  as  that.  Barely  two  hundred 
and  seventy.  A  mere  step  to  one  who,  like  yourself, 
has  already  covered  such  great  distances  in  searching 
for  him.  You  see,  I  know  all  about  your  fruitless  trip 


216  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

to  Victoria.  But  how  on  earth  do  you  happen  to  be 
here,  and  in  company  with  Rhubarb  —  Hartshorn — 
Plague  take  the  man's  pharmaceutical  name  !" 

"Perhaps  you  mean  Jalap,"  suggested  Mr.  Ryder, 
laughing  for  the  first  time  in  many  days. 

"  Jalap  !  That  is  it — Jalap  Coombs.  But  never  mind 
now.  Come  down  into  the  cabin  and  meet  my  daugh- 
ter, and  take  dinner  with  us.  You  can't  imagine  what 
a  pleasure  as  well  as  a  surprise  this  is  to  me.  And  we'll 
have  Jalap  down  too.  Then  all  our  yarns  can  be 
spliced  together,  and  served,  until  there's  no  sign  of  a 
break  left.  Mr.  Nelson,  will  you  kindly  invite  Mr. 
Coombs  aboard,  and  in  my  name  request  the  pleasure 
of  his  company  at  the  cabin  dinner-table.  Let  one  of 
the  men  look  after  his  boat.  Now,  Mr.  Ryder,  if  you 
are  ready." 

Thus  it  happened  that,  a  few  minutes  later,  the  very 
cabin  which  ha^d  so  recently  received  Phil  and  Serge 
into  its  cheery  presence  was  occupied  by  a  group  of 
those  friends  who  were  most  deeply  interested  in  or 
had  shared  their  adventures  and  experiences.  Captain 
Matthews  and  Mr.  John  Ryder  were  equally  pleased  with 
each  other,  while  Miss  May  found  the  unique  personal- 
ity of  Jalap  Coombs  so  fascinating  that  she  devoted 
herself  to  drawing  him  out  and  making  him  feel  at  home. 

The  honest  sailor  was  at  first  shy  and  embarrassed 
amid  his  unaccustomed  surroundings,  but  under  the 
charming  influence  of  his  fair  hostess  his  self-posses- 
sion was  soon  entirely  restored.  Thus,  when  she  finally 
said  :  "And  now,  Mr.  Coombs,  do  begin  at  the  very 
beginning,  and  tell  us  how  you  happened  to  desert 
.those  poor  young  lads  and  leave  them  without  any  one 
to  take  care  of  them  on  this  desolate  island,"  he  read- 
ily replied  as  follows  : 

"  Wai,  marm — that  is  to  say,  miss — as  old  Kite  Rob- 
erson  uster  say — " 


WAL,  MARM— AS    OLD    KITE    ROBERSON    USTER    SAY '  " 


IN    HOT    PURSUIT  217 

"I  knew  he  would  come  in  !"  cried  Miss  May,  laugh- 
ing and  clapping  her  hands. 

"  Who,  raarrn  ?"  asked  the  mate,  turning  a  bewil- 
dered gaze  towards  the  cabin-door. 

"Your  friend  Mr.  Robinson,  of  course." 

"Yes,  to  be  sure.  You  see,  me  and  him's  been 
friends  so  long — it's  going  on  forty  year  off  and  on, 
boy  and  man — that  now  wherever  you  find  one  you're 
likely  to  run  agin  t'other  on  the  next  tack.  Wai,  he 
uster  say,  Kite  did,  that  while  a  word's  a  word,  it  has 
as  many  sounds  as  there  be  people  that  uses  it.  So, 
while  the  word  desartion  has  a  pleasant  sound  coming 
from  your  lips,  it's  mighty  ugly  from  some  ;  and  I'm 
proud  of  the  chance  to  clear  myself  of  the  charge,  see- 
ing as  I  didn't  do  it  intentional,  but  with  the  best  of 
intentions. 

"  So,  to  begin  with,  the  day  on  which  I  were  left,  or,  as 
some  might  ignorantly  call  it,  desarted,  by  my  young 
shipmates,  on  that  very  day  along  comes  a  schooner, 
the  same  Philomeel  that  is  now  swinging  under  our 
starn.  Although  she  were  in  charge  of  a  crew  of  na- 
tyves,  with  a  natyve  cap'n,  and  in  a  powerful  hurry, 
she  stopped  at  my  signal  and  sent  a  boat  ashore  to  see 
what  was  up. 

"Do  all  I  could  I  couldn't  strike  no  bargain  with 
'em,  nor  get  'em  to  wait  till  I  could  go  for  the  boys. 
The  best  they  would  do  was  to  offer  me  passage  to 
Oonalaska,  where  her  owner  lived,  who,  so  they  said, 
would  give  me  a  charter  in  no  time.  So,  seeing  as  I 
couldn't  do  no  better,  and  thinking  I'd  be  back  again 
inside  of  three  days,  I  left  a  note  for  the  boys  and 
went  aboard.  We  made  a  quick  run  to  Oonalaska, 
but  when  I  tried  to  get  a  charter  out  of  the  owner,  he 
wouldn't  hear  of  nothing  but  cash  down,  and  as  I 
hadn't  dollars  enough  to  charter  a  dingy,  let  alone  a 
schooner,  there  I  was.  For  the  best  part  of  a  week 


218 

I  stayed  in  that  melancholy  seaport,  wishing  as  I'd 
never  heered  of  it,  and  laboring  day  by  day  with  the 
shark  what  owns  the  Philomeel.  I  offered  him  a 
quarter  of  the  seal-skins,  then  a  half,  and  finally  the 
whole  of  'em,  only  to  let  his  schooner  go  and  fetch  off 
the  boys." 

"  What  a  horrid,  avaricious  old  thing  he  must  be  !" 
cried  Miss  May,  indignantly. 

"  It  ain't  no  name  for  it,  marm — that  is  to  say,  miss. 
He  is  a  *  hunks '  if  ever  there  was  one,  and  so  I  up  and 
told  him.  He  said  he  didn't  believe  I  had  any  seal- 
skins, but  just  wanted  to  get  his  schooner  for  a  poach- 
ing cruise  in  the  sea.  While  I  was  thus  jibing  and 
filling  without  making  an  inch  of  headway,  a  Dutch 
steamer  come  in,  and  I  offered  the  skins  to  him  to  go 
and  fetch  the  boys  back  to  Oonalaska  ;  but  the  Dutch- 
man was  suspicious,  like  the  rest  of  'em,  and  said  he 
was  in  a  hurry  to  get  to  St.  Michael's,  which,  of  course, 
I  knowed  the  boys  wouldn't  want  to  go  there,  anyway, 
seeing  as  it  would  make  'em  wuss  off  than  ever. 

"Finally,  when  I  was  wellnigh  desperate  and  at  the 
end  of  my  cable,  the  Sitka  steamer  came  in,  and  I  went 
aboard  to  see  what  I  could  do  with  her  cap'n.  There  I 
run  across  the  very  Mr.  Ryder  what  sits  facing  of  me 
at  this  minute,  who,  when  he  heard  me  say  as  my 
name  were  Coombs,  speaks  up  quick  and  sez, ( Jalap  ?' 
and  I  sez,  *  Jalap  it  is.'  Then  he  sez,  fierce -like, 
'  Where's  my  boy?'  With  that  I  knowed  for  the  fust 
time  who  he  was,  and  I  sez,  *  Don't  ask  me,  Mr.  Ryder, 
but  count  on  me  to  help  ye  find  him,  for,'  sez  I, '  I'm  as 
bound  as  you  be  to  do  it,  ef  it  takes  every  seal-skin  I'm 
wuth.' 

"That  same  day  we  had  the  Philomeel  chartered 
for  cash,  with  me  in  as  cap'n,  and  was  cracking  sail 
on  to  her  for  this  blessed  island  of  Oonimak.  We 
made  port  in  fine  style,  with  our  flag  a -flying,  and 


IN    HOT    PURSUIT  219 

would  have  fired  off  our  kerosene  stove,  only  we  didn't 
have  any.  But  it  warn't  no  use.  There  wasn't  nary 
soul  in  sight,  nor  hasn't  been  from  that  day  to  this. 
The  seal-skins  was  gone,  too,  and  it's  my  opinion  that 
blooming  Dutchman  come  along  and  shanghaied  'em." 

"  No,  he  didn't,"  laughed  Captain  Matthews.  "  I 
seized  them  in  the  name  of  the  United  States,  and  they 
are  in  the  hold  of  this  very  ship  at  this  very  minute." 

"  Wai,"  said  Jalap  Coombs,  with  a  comical  air  of 
resignation,  "  ef  government  's  got  'em  'tain't  no  use, 
and  I  might  as  well  do  like  old  Kite  Roberson  said. 
He  uster  say,  '  Jalap,  my  son,  let  by -goners  be  by- 
goners,  and  never  waste  time  in  fretting  over  lost 
fish.'" 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 
MR.  JOHN  RYDER'S  STORY 

WHEN  the  mate  had  thus  finished  his  yarn,  Captain 
Matthews  turned  to  Mr.  Ryder  and  said:  "Now,  sir, 
that  Mr.  Coombs  has  so  satisfactorily  explained  his  own 
movements  since  he  was  last  heard  from,  perhaps  you 
will  have  the  kindness  to  relate  your  own  experiences 
while  in  pursuit  of  your  elusive  son." 

"  I  will  do  so  with  pleasure,"  replied  Mr.  Ryder,  "pro- 
vided that  you  will  afterwards  tell  us  how  you  discov- 
ered the  lads,  and  how  it  happens  that  they  are  now  at 
the  Pribyloffs." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  former,  whereupon  Phil's  fa- 
ther proceeded  with  his  narrative  as  follows: 

"When  I  learned  definitely  that  my  boy  was  to 
join  me  at  Sitka  by  a  certain  steamer,  I  was  filled  with 
pleasant  anticipations,  and  counted  the  days  until  he 
should  arrive,  for  I  think  there  is  a  stronger  bond  of 
sympathy  between  us  than  between  most  fathers  and 
sons  of  Phil's  age.  I  so  arranged  my  business  that  we 
could  spend  the  greater  part  of  the  summer  in  those 
hunting  and  exploring  trips  of  which  we  are  both  so 
fond — in  fact,  all  my  plans  were  laid  with  reference 
to  him  ;  and  when  the  steamer  came  in  without  him,  I 
doubt  if  there  was  a  more  disappointed  father  than  I 
in  the  United  States.  It  brought  a  letter  from  him, 
written  in  Victoria,  stating  that  he  was  ready  and 
waiting  to  take  that  very  ship,  and  it  brought  his 
trunk.  I  also  discovered  among  the  passengers  an  ac- 
quaintance named  Ames — Judge  Ames,  you  know — 


ME.  JOHN  RYDER'S  STORY  221 

who  had  met  Phil  in  Victoria,  planned  with  him  what 
they  should  do  together  while  coming  up  the  coast, 
and  was  greatly  exercised  over  the  boy's  nonappear- 
ance. 

"Of  course  the  chances  were  that  he  had  simply 
got  left,  and  would  be  along  on  the  next  boat;  but, 
as  I  could  not  bear  the  thought  of  ten  days  of  sus- 
pense, I  determined  to  go  back  on  the  steamer  that 
had  just  arrived — at  least,  until  we  should  meet  the  up 
boat.  Then,  if  Phil  were  on  board,  I  could  return  with 
him  ;  while,  if  he  were  not,  I  should  be  well  on  my 
way  towards  Victoria,  in  which  place  I  should  then 
know  he  must  have  met  with  some  serious  trouble. 
You  know  as  well  as  I  that  I  did  not  meet  him  on  the 
second  steamer,  and  did  not  find  him  in  Victoria.  I 
did,  however,  discover  plenty  of  traces  of  him.  First, 
there  was  a  note  for  me  at  the  Driard,  stating  that  he 
had  taken  passage  with  a  friend  named  Serge  Belcof- 
sky — whose  mother  I  had  met — on  the  fishing-schooner 
tSeamew,  for  Sitka.  Upon  making  inquiries  I  learned 
that  the  Seamew  was  more  of  a  sealer  than  a  fisher- 
man, and  that  while  she  might  possibly  touch  at  Sitka, 
the  chances  were  against  her  doing  so. 

"  I  also  found  at  the  hotel  my  boy's  rifle — which,  by- 
the-way,  I  have  with  me  now — his  travelling-bag,  and 
overcoat,  all  of  which  he  had  left  to  satisfy  a  bill  for 
board  amounting  to  less  than  ten  dollars.  As  I  had 
provided  him  with  plenty  of  money,  I  could  not  at 
first  understand  this.  When,  however,  I  discovered  a 
wad  of  bills,  most  of  them  Canadian,  amounting  to 
very  nearly  one  hundred  dollars,  inside  the  lining  of 
his  overcoat,  and  found  the  upper  edge  of  an  inner 
pocket  partially  torn  from  its  fastenings,  it  was  all 
made  plain.  I  knew  in  a  moment  that  poor  Phil's 
careless  habits  had  again  got  the  better  of  him,  and 
had  this  time  brought  him  to  quite  serious  grief. 


222  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"  What  worried  me  most  of  all  was  to  learn  that,  on 
the  second  of  the  two  nights  he  seems  to  have  spent  in 
Victoria,  Phil  was  arrested.  Of  course  I  followed  this 
up  at  once.  I  found  and  rewarded  the  police-sergeant, 
who  had  taken  such  pity  on  the  lad  as  to  allow  him  to 
occupy  his  own  bed,  instead  of  locking  him  up.  Then 
I  saw  the  judge  before  whom  the  case  had  come  for 
examination.  We  discovered  that  we  had  known  each 
other  by  reputation  for  some  time,  and  he  relieved  my 
mind  at  once.  He  said  he  remembered  the  case  very 
well.  Phil  had  been  arrested  on  a  charge  of  threatened 
assault  and  battery,  evidently  trumped  up  to  gratify 
some  private  spite,  as  the  complainant  never  appeared 
to  press  the  charge.  The  judge  said  that  when  Phil 
gave  him  his  name  it  had  a  familiar  sound,  but  that  he 
did  not  identify  it  with  mine  until  after  the  boy  was 
dismissed  and  had  disappeared.  He  also  said  that  if 
the  young  scamp  had  only  made  himself  and  his  trouble 
known  he  would  gladly  have  assisted  him  to  the  extent 
of  his  power. 

"  I  was  still  puzzled  to  know  how  the  boy  had  ob- 
tained a  position  as  a  sailor,  and  what  he  was  wearing, 
as  his  trunk,  bag,  and  overcoat  were  now  in  my  posses- 
sion, and  apparently  nothing  had  been  taken  from  the 
two  former." 

"He  wasn't  just  a  common  sailor — he  was  a  hunter," 
here  broke  in  Miss  May,  proud  of  her  acquaintance 
with  the  facts  in  this  interesting  case. 

"So  I  afterwards  discovered,"  replied  Mr.  Ryder, 
"  and  I  must  say  that  is  his  one  act  of  which  I  feel 
ashamed.  I  never  thought  that  a  son  of  mine  would 
become  a  pot-hunter,  and  pursue  butchery  as  a  busi- 
ness." 

"  Oh  !  but  you  don't  understand  !"  cried  Phil's  fair 
champion,  eagerly.  "He  didn't  know  at  first  that  he 
was  to  be  a  hunter,  and  then  he  didn't  realize  what  it 


ME.  JOHN  RYDER'S  STORY  223 

meant,  and  just  as  soon  as  he  found  out  he  refused  to 
obey  the  captain's  orders  to  hunt  any  longer." 

"As  clear  a  case  of  mutiny  as  I  ever  heard  of," 
laughed  Captain  Matthews. 

"Yes,  and  the  wust  of  it  were  that  he  carried  the 
best  part  of  the  crew  with  him,  meaning  me  and  young 
Belcofsky,"  added  Jalap  Coombs,  "  which  if  he  hadn't 
ye'd  have  found  him  safe  in  Sitka  when  ye  come  back, 
as  it  now  turns  out." 

"That  is  one  of  the  best  bits  of  news  I  have  heard 
yet  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Ryder,  "  and  it  lifts  a  load  off 
my  mind.  As  for  being  a  mutineer,  I  hope  my  boy 
will  be  one  all  his  life  against  cruelty,  no  matter  what 
consequences  may  be  threatened,  or  what  results  may 
follow.  Now  I  am  reconciled  to  my  long  delay  in 
finding  him,  though  when  I  returned  to  Sitka  and  dis- 
covered the  schooner  Seamew  at  anchor  in  the  harbor, 
but  without  my  boy  aboard,  I  was  wellnigh  heart- 
broken. Of  course  I  interviewed  her  skipper,  and  got 
all  possible  information  from  him,  but  he  was  a  surly 
fellow  and  gave  me  but  slight  comfort.  My  only  con- 
solation was  that  he  spoke  so  highly  of  Mr.  Coombs, 
and  claimed  that  he  would  get  my  boy  out  of  his 
scrape  if  any  one  could." 

"  Which  I  thanks  him  hearty!"  exclaimed  the  mate, 
"  and  could  say  the  same  for  him  ef  I  had  to;  bearing 
in  mind  old  Kite  Roberson's  advice,  allers  to  speak  the 
truth  when  ye're  compelled." 

"  After  learning  all  I  could  from  Captain  Duff,"  con- 
tinued Mr.  Ryder,  "  I  made  some  inquiries  about  the 
Oonalaska  steamer,  which  happened  to  be  in  port,  and 
then  went  to  see  what  mail  had  been  laid  on  my  desk, 
which  stands  in  one  corner  of  Gifford's  store.  Among 
my  letters  was  one  for  Phil,  which,  under  the  circum- 
stances, I  thought  I  might  take  the  liberty  of  opening. 
It  was  very  badly  written,  but  I  managed  to  make  out 


224  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

that  the  writer,  who  evidently  was  some  sleeping-car 
porter,  enclosed  and  forwarded  a  trinket  that  Phil  had 
lost  and  he  had  found  in  his  car.  The  article  in  ques- 
tion was  in  the  shape  of  an  animal's  tooth,  and  bore 
some  sort  of  carving.  Not  thinking  it  of  any  particu- 
lar value,  I  left  it  lying  on  my  open  desk  while  I  went 
to  call  on  Mrs.  Belcof sky,  from  whom  I  wished  to  learn 
what  she  had  heard  from  Serge." 

"It  wasn't  a  fur-seal's  tooth,  was  it?"  interrupted 
Captain  Matthews,  with  eager  interest. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  it  was,  and,  moreover,  that 
it  was  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  as  I  discovered  a  very  few 
minutes  later.  I  found  Mrs.  Belcofsky  full  of  trouble 
on  account  of  the  importunities  of  some  Indians  who 
were  demanding  something  from  her.  After  I  had 
driven  them  away  she  explained  that  they  were  bound 
to  obtain  a  certain  charmed  talisman  in  shape  of  a  fur- 
seal's  tooth,  that  had  once  been  the  property  of  their 
tribe,  but  which  had  afterwards  fallen  into  her  hus- 
band's hands.  He  had  left  it  to  her,  and  she  had  given 
it  to  Serge. 

"I  at  once  identified  it  with  the  one  that  had  just 
come  so  queerly  into  my  possession,  and,  promising  to 
fetch  it  in  a  few  minutes,  hastened  back  to  my  desk — 
but  I  was  too  late.  The  tooth  had  disappeared;  nor 
could  I  discover  a  trace  of  where  it  had  gone. 

"  When  I  reported  this  to  Mrs.  Belcofsky  she  said  it 
was  only  what  she  had  expected,  because,  while  it  would 
bring  good-fortune  to  me,  to  whom  it  was  a  gift,  and 
evil  to  him  who  stole  it,  it  possessed  such  a  fascination 
for  certain  persons  that  they  could  no  more  resist  the 
temptation  to  take  it  than  they  could  help  breathing. 
*  The  Indians  say  that  it  was  stolen  in  the  first  place,' 
continued  Mrs.  Belcofsky,  '  all  carved  as  it  is  from  the 
oldest  and  wisest  seecatch  that  ever  lived  in  Alaska, 
and  that  it  will  continue  to  be  stolen  to  the  end  of 


ME.  JOHN  KYDER'S  STORY  225 

time,  save  when  it  is  guarded  by  a  shaman  (medicine 
man)  from  whom  none  may  steal  it.' 

"  The  next  day  I  left  Sitka  on  the  Oonalaska  steamer, 
determined  to  continue  the  search  for  iny  boy  along 
the  entire  Aleutian  chain,  through  Bering  Sea,  and  to 
the  north-pole  itself,  if  I  failed  to  find  him  short  of 
there. 

"  Our  trip  was  without  incident,  except  that  our  pur- 
ser, a  young  fellow  from  Sitka,  met  with  a  series  of 
strange  accidents,  .one  on  top  of  another,  that  finally 
culminated  the  day  we  reached  Oonalaska  in  his  fall- 
ing and  breaking  a  rib.  When  we  undid  his  shirt  we 
found  the  fur-seaPs  tooth  suspended  by  a  string  from 
his  neck,  and  he  acknowledged  to  having  stolen  it  from 
my  desk  in  Sitka.  Said  he  intended  to  sell  it  to  the 
Indians  when  he  got  back." 

"  Good  enough !"  exclaimed  Captain  Matthews  at 
this  point.  "I  am  relieved  to  learn  that  you  finally 
recovered  that  pesky  thing.  Now  will  you  be  kind 
enough  to  let  me  look  at  it  ?  I  want  to  show  it  to  my 
daughter." 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  began  Mr.  Ryder,  "  but — " 

"  Don't  say  that  you  have  gone  and  lost  it  again !" 
cried  the  commander  of  the  Phoca,  with  a  comical  as- 
pect of  despair. 

"No;  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  it  was  again 
stolen.  You  see,  just  then  Mr.  Coombs  appeared;  and, 
in  the  confusion  of  the  moment,  I  thrust  the  tooth 
into  an  inside  overcoat  -  pocket,  and  for  some  time 
thought  no  more  about  it.  I  lunched  that  day  on 
board  the  Norsk,  a  German  steamer  that  happened  to 
be  in  port.  While  at  the  table  I  happened  to  relate 
the  history  of  the  fur-seal's  tooth  up  to  date,  and,  as 
the  captain  expressed  a  desire  to  see  it,  I  directed  the 
Japanese  table-boy  to  fetch  my  overcoat,  which  was 
hanging  in  a  state-room.  He  did  so,  but,  to  my  great 

15 


226 

mortification,  I  found  that  I  had  again  allowed  the 
tooth  to  slip  through  my  hands.  It  had  disappeared, 
nor  have  I  since  heard  from  it.  The  N~orsk  left  Oona- 
laska  that  evening,  and  the  next  day  we  came  here, 
only  to  meet  with  the  disappointment  of  which  you  have 
already  learned.  The  only  thing  we  have  discovered 
is  a  fragment  of  the  note  left  by  Mr.  Coombs  for  the 
boys.  As  it  was  at  a  distance  from  the  hut,  and  badly 
chewed,  we  concluded  that  the  foxes  got  it  instead  of 
those  for  whom  it  was  intended." 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  Captain  Matthews,  "  it  is  a 
mighty  interesting  yarn,  and  I  wish  you  every  good- 
fortune  in  your  search  for  those  boys.  If  you'll  take 
my  advice,  though,  you'll  start  for  the  Pribyloffs  just 
as  quick  as  the  wind  will  allow,  for  they  are  as  slippery 
as  cats,  and  there's  no  knowing  what  they'll  be  up  to 
next.  In  the  meantime  I'll  jog  back  to  Sitka,  and 
leave  you  to  bring  them  along  as  soon  as  wind,  tide,  and 
accidents  will  allow." 


CHAPTER   XXXV 
JALAP    COOMBS'S    PHILOSOPHY 

THE  little  Philomel  had  a  hard  time  getting  to  the 
Pribyloff  Islands.  She  was  buffeted  by  head-winds 
and  forced  to  sail  nearly  one  hundred  miles  out  of  her 
course  by  a  gale.  Then  she  became  involved  in  such 
mazes  of  fog  and  perplexity  that  ten  full  days  elapsed 
before  she  finally  entered  the  region  of  screaming  sea- 
fowl,  and  her  people  knew  that  the  seal  islands  were 
at  hand.  Soon  afterwards  a  lifting  fog  disclosed  the 
low  dark  coast-line  of  St.  Paul,  which,  forbidding  as  it 
appeared,  gladdened  Mr.  John  Ryder's  eyes  as  though 
it  had  been  the  fairest  scene  on  earth.  Was  not  his 
boy  there  ?  And  would  not  a  few  more  hours  see  them 
reunited?  He  fondly  hoped  so,  and  in  spite  of  his 
many  disappointments  could  not  believe  that  another 
was  in  store  for  him.  No  ;  Phil  must  be  here,  of 
course.  It  was  not  likely  that  he  had  been  offered  a 
chance  of  getting  away,  and  even  if  he  had  he  was 
pretty  certain  to  have  waited  for  the  Phoca's  prom- 
ised return.  So  it  was  with  a  heart  full  of  joyful 
anticipations  that  Mr.  John  Ryder  finally  landed  at  the 
village  of  St.  Paul. 

The  usual  crowd  was  collected  on  the  beach  to 
witness  the  arrival,  and  stepping  up  to  the  nearest 
white  man,  who  happened  to  be  the  government  in- 
spector, Mr.  Ryder  handed  him  a  note  of  introduction 
from  Captain  Matthews,  saying,  at  the  same  time  : 
"These  are  my  credentials,  sir;  and  my  excuse  for 
landing  here,  where  I  am  well  aware  strangers  are  not 


228  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

permitted  save  by  authority,  is,  that  I  am  in  search  of 
a  lost  boy,  my  son,  Philip  Ryder  by  name.  I  must 
confess  that  I  am  disappointed  at  not  seeing  him  here, 
but  you  can  doubtless  tell  me  where  to  find  him." 

A  strange  silence  fell  over  the  little  group  at  these 
words,  which  most  of  them  understood ;  while  the  in- 
spector turned  pale,  and  the  hand,  that  he  held  out  to 
Mr.  Ryder,  trembled. 

"  This  is  terrible,  sir  !"  he  said,  "  and  I  know  not 
how  to  tell  you — 

"  What  ?  Has  anything  happened  to  my  boy  ?  Is 
he  ill  ?  or — or— dead  ?" 

The  unhappy  father  almost  choked  as  he  pronounced 
the  last  words. 

"  I  hope  not,  sir  J  We  hope  not !"  repeated  the  in- 
spector, in  a  voice  husky  with  emotion.  "  All  we  know 
is  that  he  is  lost,  and  has  been  for  two  weeks  past — in 
fact,  both  he  and  his  companion  disappeared  just  as 
the  revenue-cutter  Phoca,  on  which  they  came  to  the 
island,  left  it,  and  we  have  been  unable  to  discover  a 
trace  of  them  since,  though  parties  have  been  out  in 
every  direction  searching  for  some  clew  to  the  mystery. 
But  come  up  to  my  house,  gentlemen,  and  you  shall  be 
given  all  the  particulars  so  far  as  they  are  known  to 
us." 

At  the  word  "  lost,"  Mr.  Ryder,  strong,  self  -  con- 
tained man  that  he  was,  had  staggered  as  though  struck 
a  heavy  blow,  and  Jalap  Coombs,  who  stood  imme- 
diately behind  him,  grasped  his  arm. 

"  Don't  ye  give  up,  sir  !"  he  cried,  though  even  his 
usually  hearty  tone  was  a  little  shaky.  "Your  boy 
Phil  ain't  the  lad  to  get  lost  so  as  he  can't  find  hisself, 
nor  into  a  scrape  that  he  won't  work  his  way  out  of 
somehow,  not  ef  I  know  him,  and  I  think  I  do.  He's 
been  lost  before  and  found,  same  as  he  will  be  this 
time.  Why,  sir,  it  wouldn't  surprise  me  one  mite  to 


JALAP   AND   PHIL'S   FATHER    HEAR    BAD    NEWS   FROM    THE    BOYS 


JALAP    COOMBS'S    PHILOSOPHY  229 

see  him  turn  up  to-morrow  bright  and  smiling  As  my 
old  friend  Kite  Roberson  uster  say,  'Them  that's  lost 
the  of tenest  larns  best  how  to  take  care  of  theirselves.' " 

During  the  utterance  of  these  homely  words  of  com- 
fort the  little  party  had  been  walking  up  the  ascent 
towards  the  inspector's  house,  and  now  within  its 
friendly  walls,  that  had  so  recently  sheltered  his  boy, 
Mr.  Ryder  learned  all  that  was  known  concerning  Phil 
and  Serge.  The  former  had  gone  with  a  party  of  egg- 
hunters  to  Walrus  Islet,  and  so  was  away  when  the 
captain  of  the  Phoca  was  obliged  to  depart  in  search 
of  a  poaching  sealer  of  whose  operations  he  had  just 
learned. 

"  By-the-way,  her  name  was  the  same  as  that  of  the 
schooner  in  which  you  have  just  come  !  Could  she 
have  been  the  same  ?"  asked  the  inspector. 

At  this  the  stricken  father  groaned  aloud,  while  Jal- 
ap Coombs  answered,  "I  expect  she  is,  sir,  though  it 
was  all  along  of  a  mistake." 

"  Of  course  it  doesn't  matter,"  said  their  host,  "  only 
it  does  seem  rather  hard.  But,  to  return  to  my  story, 
your  son  being  away,  his  friend  set  out  to  fetch  him, 
and  went  over  to  Walrus  with  a  native,  whose  place 
Phil  was  to  take  for  the  return  trip.  They  overtook 
the  egg-hunters  just  as  they  were  landing,  the  native 
was  left  with  them,  and  the  two  lads  started  to  return, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that,  as  night,  accompanied  by  a 
thick  fog,  was  shutting  down,  the  hunters  tried  to  dis- 
suade them  from  the  attempt. 

"  Your  son  shouted  back  :  '  It'll  be  all  right — we 
can't  miss  it;  and  we  must  take  the  chances  anyway, 
for  we're  bound  to  get  to  Sitka!'  That  was  the  last 
seen  or  heard  of  them. 

"We  did  not  feel  any  anxiety  here  until  the  egg- 
hunters  returned  the  following  day,  for  we  had  not  ex- 
pected that  the  lads  would  get  back  that  night;  but 


230  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

when  the  bidarrah  came  in  without  them  we  knew  at 
once  that  something  serious  must  have  happened.  By 
questioning  the  hunters,  I  learned  that  the  wind  had 
changed  and  blown  fresh  from  the  southward  soon 
after  the  boys  left  them;  also  that  the  tide  was  flood- 
ing, with  a  strong  current  running  north  between  Wal- 
rus and  St.  Paul.  It  seemed  most  likely,  therefore,  that 
the  lads  had  been  carried  so  far  to  the  northward  as  to 
miss  the  island  entirely,  especially  as  the  night  was  of 
unusual  darkness. 

"As  soon  as  I  obtained  these  facts  I  prepared  for 
sea  the  little  schooner  that  we  use  to  maintain  com- 
munication between  here  and  St.  George,  manned  her 
with  a  crew  of  picked  men,  and  sent  her  out  with  or- 
ders to  cruise  back  and  forth  to  the  northward  of  the 
islands  for  a  week,  in  the  hope  of  picking  them  up. 
Upon  his  return  the  captain  of  this  vessel  reported  that 
he  had  been  as  far  as  one  hundred  miles  to  the  north- 
ward, keeping  the  sharpest  kind  of  a  lookout  all  the 
time,  but  without  avail." 

"  So  you  do  not  think  there  is  the  slightest  chance 
that  we  shall  ever  see  them  again?"  asked  Mr.  Ryder, 
in  a  voice  that  betrayed  his  own  hopelessness. 

"  I  will  not  say  so,"  replied  the  inspector ;  "  for,  of 
course,  there  are  always  chances,  and  while  doubt  ex- 
ists there  is  also  room  for  hope." 

"  Of  course  there  is,  sir !  a  plenty  of  it  and  rightly, 
too!"  broke  in  Jalap  Coombs,  who  had  followed  the 
inspector's  narrative  with  the  closest  attention.  "  My 
friend,  old  Kite  Roberson,  uster  say  that  Hope  was  the 
thing  of  all  in  this  world  he  had  the  greatest  respec' 
and  admiration  for,  'cause  ye  couldn't  kill  it,  and  every 
time  it  got  a  knock-down  it  would  pop  up  agin  bright 
and  smiling  in  some  onexpected  place.  So  I  say,  let's 
tie  to  Hope,  and  not  give  up  those  boys  yet  awhile. 
This  gentleman  has  kindly  give  us  the  dark  view  of 


JALAP    COOMBS'S    PHILOSOPHY  231 

this  case,  now  'spose  we  takes  a  squint  at  the  bright 
side." 

"  Is  there  a  bright  side  ?"  asked  Mr.  Ryder. 

"Wai,  I  should  ruther  say  so!  No"!  sunlight,  may- 
be, but  bright  enough  to  steer  by.  To  begin  with,  a 
bid*arkie  is  one  of  the  best  sea-boats  there  is  long's  ye 
keep  her  head  to  the  sea  or  scudding,  and  especially  if 
ye  have  kamleikas  aboard.  Did  the  lads  have  kamlei- 
kas,  do  ye  know,  sir  ?" 

"Yes,"  replied  the  inspector;  "Phil  had  his  own, 
and  Serge  borrowed  one  from  the  native  who  owned 
the  bidarkie." 

"And  how  was  they  off  for  grub  ?" 

"  I  don't  believe  they  had  any,  except  a  few  eggs 
that  Phil  insisted  on  taking  as  specimens  for  Miss  Mat- 
thews." 

"Then  they  couldn't  have  been  better  fixed!"  cried 
the  mate.  "  Eggs  is  meat  and  drink,  both  in  one  shell. 
Why,  old  Kite  Roberson,  who^was  one  of  the  likeliest 
navigators  as  ever  trod  a  deck,  uster  consider  eggs  the 
main  part  of  a  ship's  stores.  He  knowed  every  egg 
island  in  three  oceans,  and  uster  visit  'em  regular  Be- 
sides that,  he  carried  along  sich  a  stock  of  fowls  that, 
no  matter  what  ship  he  sailed  in,  she  was  allers  called 
the  '  Hen-coop.' 

"  So  what's  to  hender  two  able  young  seamen,  like 
Phil  and  Serge,  with  a  good  sea-boat  under  their  feet 
and  a  locker  full  of  the  best  of  grub,  from  making  a 
cruise  to  some  one  of  the  islands  lying  up  here  to  the 
nor'ard  ?  Nothing  at  all,  I  say.  It  would  be  right  in 
the  line  of  sich  lads  as  they  be,  and  I  wouldn't  be  one 
mite  surprised  ef  they  was  setting  on  some  handy  pint 
of  rock  this  very  minute,  straining  their  eyes  watching 
for  us,  and  wondering  why  we  didn't  come  along." 

"  Are  there  islands  to  the  north  of  this  ?"  asked  Mr, 
Ryder,  with  a  show  of  interest. 


232  TIJE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"To  be  sure.  There's  St.  Matthew,  and  St.  Law- 
rence, and  Nunivack,  and  then  up  in  the  very  middle 
of  the  strait,  where  the  United  States  and  Russia  is 
less'n  forty  mile  apart,  is  the  Stepping  Stones,  two 
little  islands  with  the  line  running  between  'em,  and 
so  close  together  that  an  able-bodied  biscuit  -  tosser, 
standing  on  the  American  island,  could  toss  a  biscuit 
over  into  Asia.  To  be  sure,  they're  nigh  on  to  a  thou- 
sand miles  from  here,  and  there  ain't  no  show  for  the 
boys  to  have  fetched  up  there,  nor  yet  on  St.  Lawrence, 
but  it's  jest  possible  they've  brung  up  agin  St.  Mat- 
thew." 

"We'll  go  there  and  see,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Ryder, 
roused  into  a  new  activity  by  the  ray  of  hope  thus 
skilfully  brought  to  bear  on  the  situation  by  Jalap 
Coombs. 

"Besides,"  continued  the  mate,  "the  lads  has  a 
chance  of  being  picked  up  by  every  one  of  the  vessels 
cruising  in  these  waters,  of  which  there  is  a  plenty — 
men-o'-war,  whalers,  revenoo-cutters,  company  ships, 
and  the  like,  to  say  nothing  of  seal-poachers  and  wal- 
rus-hunters." 

Thus  it  was  decided  that  the  Philomel  should  con- 
tinue her  search  to  the  northward,  and  Mr.  Ryder  was 
in  a  feverish  state  of  anxiety  until  they  were  again  olff. 
Before  starting,  he  promised  the  inspector  that,  how- 
ever their  search  might  result,  they  would  return  to 
the  Pribyloffs  and  report. 

Two  weeks  later  they  did  so.  They  had  been  to  St. 
Matthew,  where  countless  numbers  of  polar  bears  may 
be  seen  at  all  seasons,  and  where  an  outlying  cone  of 
basalt  rises  sheer  a  thousand  feet  from  the  sea,  and 
like  a  huge  chimney  pours  forth  an  unbroken  column 
of  black  smoke.  They  had  visited  the  savage  walrus- 
hunters  of  Nunivack,  and  they  had  returned  to  the 
place  from  which  they  started  without  having  dis- 


JALAP    COOMBS'S    PHILOSOPHY  233 

covered  a  trace  of  or  heard  a  word  from  the  missing 
lads. 

Now,  with  hope  wellnigh  extinguished  in  his  bosom, 
though  still  lingering  as  a  faint  spark,  John  Ryder 
came  ashore  to  make  his  last  inquiry.  If  he  heard 
nothing  here,  hope  would  indeed  be  dead.  He  won- 
dered slightly  at  the  unusual  throng  gathered  on  the 
beach  to  welcome  them.  Suddenly  his  despair,  won- 
der, and  all  other  feelings  were  merged  in  an  over- 
whelming joy;  for,  while  they  were  still  some  distance 
off,  a  clear,  ringing  voice  shouted  out: 

"  We  have  heard  from  them,  and  they  are  safe !" 
"  Didn't  I  tell  ye  it  would  turn  out  same  as  old  Kite 
Roberson  allers  said?"  remarked  Jalap  Coombs,  in  a 
tone  of  quiet  exultation. 


CHAPTER  XXXVI 
LOST   AND    DRIFTING   IN   BERING   SEA 

WHEN  Phil  Ryder  stepped  from  the  bidarrah,  or 
big  open  boat,  in  which  he  had  made  the  six-mile  trip 
from  St.  Paul  to  Walrus  Island,  and  clambered  up 
over  the  slippery  rocks  of  the  latter,  he  was  nearly 
stunned  by  the  volume  of  sound  that  ceaselessly  rises 
from  it.  The  shrieks  of  myriads  of  startled  sea-fowl, 
the  rapid  beating  of  their  pinions  resembling  a  low  roll 
of  thunder,  the  gruntings,  croakings,  and  hissings  of 
sitting  birds  that  refused  to  leave  their  splotched  and 
dirt-smeared  eggs,  the  roar  of  walrus,  and  the  boom  of 
surf,  combined  to  form  a  pandemonium  of  sound  at 
once  deafening  and  distracting. 

"  How  can  I  spend  a  night  here  ?"  thought  Phil ; 
"  and  what  a  fool  I  was  to  come." 

He  was  standing,  bewildered  by  the  awful  racket, 
with  arms  bent  above  his  head,  to  defend  it  from  the 
whizzing  flight  of  clumsy  birds  that  shot  through  the 
air  in  every  direction  ;  two  enraged  burgomaster  gulls, 
whose  nests  his  feet  were  invading,  were  pecking  sav- 
agely at  his  legs,  and  he  was  just  meditating  a  retreat, 
when  some  one  pulled  his  sleeve.  Turning,  he  was 
amazed  to  see  the  sea  -  lion  hunter,  who  could  speak 
English,  and  whom  he  had  left  nearly  two  hours  be- 
fore on  Northeast  Point. 

As  the  latter  could  not  make  himself  heard  above, 
the  horrible  din,  he  was  pointing  to  the  tiny  cove  in 
which  lay  the  bidarrah.  There,  to  Phil's  greater  sur- 
prise, he  saw  his  friend  Serge  Belcofsky  fending  off 


LOST    AND    DRIFTING    IN    BERING    SEA  235 

from  the  rocks  a  two-holed  bidarkie  that  tossed,  light 
as  an  egg-shell,  on  the  heaving  waters. 

"What  on  earth  brought  you  here.?"  he  shouted, 
as  soon  as  he  had  scrambled  to  his  comrade's  side. 

"  You  did,"  answered  Serge.  "  The  Phoca  is  about 
to  sail,  and  I've  come  for  you.  So  step  in  quick,  and 
let's  be  off.  The  hunter  who  came  with  me  is  going 
to  stay  in  your  place,  and  come  back  in  the  bidarrah." 

"All  right,"  replied  Phil;  "I'm  more  than  willing  to 
leave  this  beastly  rookery,  and  more  than  anxious  to 
start  for  Sitka.  I  must  have  a  few  of  those  eggs, 
though,  for  I  promised  Miss  Matthews  some  for  her 
collection." 

Within  two  minutes  as  many  dozen  eggs  of  all  sizes 
and  varieties  had  been  collected  and  stowed  in  the 
after-part  of  the  bidarkie.  Phil  slipped  into  the  for- 
ward hatch  and  fastened  his  kamleika  about  its  coam- 
ing, while  Serge  assumed  his  position  aft,  and  made 
the  second  hatch  equally  watertight  with  the  hunter's 
over-garment  which  he  had  borrowed. 

It  was  nearly  dark,  and  they  could  see  a  fog-bank 
rolling  sullenly  in  from  the  southward.  Even  the  na- 
tive who  held  their  canoe  began  to  grow  apprehensive. 
"  Me  fraid  you  no  get,"  he  said;  "  mebbe  you  stay  here 
better  till  morning." 

"  Oh,  we'll  get !"  shouted  Phil,  confidently.  "  Any- 
how, I'd  rather  run  the  risk  than  to  miss  our  one  chance 
of  a  passage  to  Sitka.  So  shove  off,  Serge.  Good-bye  1" 

Serge  himself  felt  somewhat  uneasy,  but  he  had 
come  too  far  and  worked  too  hard  on  this  errand  to 
incline  towards  giving  up  now.  Besides,  he  also  was 
very  anxious  to  reach  Sitka.  So  he  shoved  off,  and 
both  the  lads  began  to  paddle  with  long  sweeping 
strokes.  In  another  minute  the  arrowy  craft  had  shot 
away  from  the  roaring  islet,  and  was  lost  to  view  in 
the  gathering  gloom. 


236 

They  had  not  covered  more  than  a  mile  before  the 
advancing  fog  enveloped  them  in  its  soft,  moist  folds. 

"  Whe-e-w  !"  gasped  Phil,  breathing  rapidly  from 
his  vigorous  paddling.  "Isn't  this  smothering?" 

"Yes,"  replied  his  companion,  "and  I'm  getting 
somewhat  dubious  about  finding  St.  Paul." 

"  Oh,  I  guess  we'll  find  it  all  right.  We've  only  got 
to  keep  the  wind  at  our  back.  It  is  blowing  from  the 
eastward,  you  know." 

"But  this  fog  came  in  from  the  southward." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  It  seemed  to  me  to  come  from 
the  east  with  the  breeze." 

"  All  right,"  agreed  Serge.  "  Perhaps  it  did.  I'm  not 
quite  sure  of  my  compass  up  here.  We've  got  to  keep 
on  now,  at  any  rate,  for  we  could  never  find  Walrus 
again,  while  we  can  hardly  miss  hitting  so  big  a  mark 
as  St.  Paul.  If  we  strike  either  coast  we  can  cruise 
along  it  until  we  come  to  the  village.  I'm  afraid, 
though,  we  won't  get  there  in  time  to  catch  the  Phoca" 

"  Oh  yes,  we  will.  Captain  Matthews  isn't  the  man 
to  go  off  and  leave  us  when  he  knows  we  are  going  to 
be  back  some  time  to-night.  You  said  you  sent  word 
by  Ramey,  didn't  you  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Then  he's  sure  to  wait.  What's  his  hurry,  any- 
how ?" 

"I  believe  he  has  word  of  some  sealer  poaching  in 
the  sea,  and  is  going  to  hunt  her." 

"My!  won't  it  be  fun  to  be  on  the  other  side  of  such 
an  affair?  I  tell  you,  we  struck  big  luck  when  we 
met  the  Phoca — in  fact,  I  think  this  whole  cruise,  as 
I  look  back  on  it,  has  been  made  up  of  a  series  of 
lucky  events,  even  though  we  haven't  had  the  fur-seal's 
tooth  to  help  us." 

So  they  talked,  in  disjointed  sentences,  as  well  as 
their  rapid  breathing  and  relative  positions  would  al- 


LOST   AND    DRIFTING   IN   BERING    SEA  237 

low,  and  all  the  while  wielded  their  dripping  paddles 
with  the  energy  of  young  athletes  striving  for  a 
prize. 

Finally,  Phil  stopped  paddling,  and,  half  turning, 
said  :  "Let  us  listen  a  minute,  old  man.  It  seems  to 
me  we  ought  to  hear  the  roar  of  seals  on  St.  Paul  by 
this  time.  I'm  sure  we've  been  an  hour  on  the  way." 
So  the  lads  listened  intently,  but  all  they  heard  was 
the  ceaseless  roar  and  dash  of  the  wind-swept  waves. 

Under  circumstances  such  as  those  in  which  the 
occupants  of  the  little  bidarkie  found  themselves, 
there  is  no  sound  more  depressing  and  awe-inspiring 
than  this,  nor  one  that  conveys  more  clearly  an  idea 
of  the  immensity  and  terror  of  oceans.  When  it  is 
accompanied  by  darkness  and  fog,  the  effect  is  so 
heightened  as  to  be  wellnigh  unbearable. 

As  our  lads  listened  to  it  and  felt  the  chill  breath 
of  the  wind-driven  mist  on  their  cheeks,  they  shivered, 
and  a  great  fear  began  to  creep  into  their  hearts. 

"  This  won't  do  !"  cried  Phil.'  "  We  must  keep  at 
work  or  we'll  never  get  there.  It  is  strange,  though, 
that  we  don't  hear  anything.  We  ought  to  be  almost 
on  the  beach  by  this  time.  Do  you  notice  how  big 
the  waves  are?  It's  lucky  that  our  course  is  with  them, 
for  they'd  be  tough  fellows  to  work  against,  and  make 
an  ugly  sea  to  cross." 

For  an  hour  longer  they  paddled  steadily  and  in 
dogged  silence.  Then  both  paused  in  their  labor  as 
though  moved  by  a  single  impulse. 

"We've  gone  wrong  somehow,"  said  Serge,  without 
an  attempt  to  conceal  his  anxiety. 

"  Do  you  mean,  old  man,  that  you  think  we  have 
missed  the  island  altogether?" 

"  I  am  afraid  we  have." 

"  Then  may  God  help  us,  for  we  can  no  longer  help 
ourselves." 


238  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

"Amen,"  responded  Serge,  solemnly. 

"  I  suppose  we  had  better  continue  paddling,  if  only 
to  keep  her  headed  with  the  sea." 

"  And  to  keep  from  freezing,"  said  Serge.  "  I'm 
chilled  to  the  bone  now." 

So  they  resumed  their  labor,  but  they  worked  list- 
lessly and  without  heart. 

At  length  the  short  night  came  to  an  end,  and  day- 
light, dim  and  shadowy,  began  to  steal  over  the  toss- 
ing waters.  Occasionally  the  round  head  of  a  seal 
rose  above  the  surface  close  at  hand,  and  the  animal 
stared  at  them  for  a  moment  with  great  wondering 
eyes  before  again  sinking  silently  from  their  sight. 

"  We  could  get  one  of  those  fellows  if  we  wanted 
him,"  said  Serge,  his  glance  resting  on  the  slender 
shaft  of  the  native  spear  that  was  lashed  on  deck. 

"  What  good  would  it  do  us  ?  I  thought  we  lost  our 
interest  in  seal -skins  some  time  ago,"  said  Phil,  bit- 
terly. 

"  Seal-meat  would  save  us  from  starving." 

"  How  could  we  cook  it  ?" 

"  We  couldn't,"  replied  Serge,  significantly. 

"  Well,  I  must  confess  that  I'm  hungry,  but  I  don't 
think  I  care  to  eat  raw  seal-meat  just  yet.  I  say,  old 
man,  do  you  suppose  two  fellows  ever  had  such  an 
unlucky  trip  as  ours?  We  seem  to  have  jumped  from 
one  trouble  into  another  ever  since  we  started." 

"And  this  is  the  worst  of  all,"  answered  Serge, 
despondently. 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  it  is  ;  and  starving  to  death  does 
seem  a  very  dreadful  way  of  dying.  I  don't  know 
but  what  I'd  rather  drown  and  done  with  it." 

"Suppose  we  try  an  egg,"  suggested  Serge,  with 
a  sudden  inspiration. 

"  That's  so  !  we  have  got  eggs.  I'd  forgotten  them 
entirely.  Raw  eggs  .aren't  half  so  bad  as  raw  meat. 


LOST   AND    DRIFTING    IN    BERING   SEA  239 

I've  eaten  them  before,  and  when  I  didn't  have  to, 
either." 

"  So  have  I,"  replied  Serge,  as,  unfastening  his 
kamleika,  he  reached  behind  him  and"  drew  forth  a 
couple  of  the  eggs  Phil  had  brought  along  as  speci- 
mens. 

"  H'm  !"  ejaculated  the  latter,  as,  after  carefully 
removing  a  portion  of  the  shell  to  see  that  the  con- 
tents were  fresh,  he  swallowed  them  at  a  gulp.  "A 
little  fishy,  but  not  so  bad  as  I  expected.  Let's  have 
another." 

After  eating  half  a  dozen  eggs  apiece,  the  lads  felt 
decidedly  better,  and  even  a  little  more  cheerful. 

"  It  warn't  much  of  a  breakfust,  but  even  a  poor 
breakfust  tastes  good  to  a  hungry  man,  as  old  Kite 
Robinson  uster  say,"  remarked  Phil,  and  at  the  pict- 
ure thus  called  up  both  lads  actually  smiled.  Then, 
too,  they  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  sun,  which  was  a 
slight  comfort,  though  not  so  great  as  it  might  have 
been,  had  it  not  shown  them  tEat  they  were  headed 
due  north,  instead  of  west,  as  they  had  supposed. 

"We  are  headed  for  the  north -pole,"  said  Phil. 
"  Do  you  know  of  any  place  on  which  we  might  fetch 
up,  short  of  it?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  his  companion,  "  there  are  islands 
somewhere  to  the  north  of  here,  though  I  don't  know 
exactly  where.  I  don't  believe  they  are  more  than  a 
hundred  miles  or  so  away,  though." 

"  Let's  make  a  try  for  them,"  cried  Phil,  with  sudden 
energy.  "  Anything  is  better  than  lying  still,  and  we 
are  not  done  for  yet,  by  a  long  shot." 

So  all  that  long,  weary  day  the  plucky  lads  tried  to 
cheer  each  other  as  they  alternately  paddled,  rested, 
and  made  melancholy  pretence  of  enjoying  their  raw, 
fishy  eggs.  At  length,  however,  their  supply  of  these 
was  exhausted,  they  were  too  utterly  wearied  to  pad- 


240  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

die  any  longer,  and  night  was  again  coming  on.  The 
fog  had  thinned  during  the  day,  but  only  so  as  to  dis- 
close a  wider  expanse  of  chill  waters,  and  with  the 
coming  of  night  it  closed  in  again  as  dense  as  ever. 
The  only  comfort  was  that  the  wind  had  gone  down 
with  the  sun,  leaving  a  smooth  sea. 

"  I'm  beat  out,  old  man  !"  said  Phil,  at  length,  as  he 
laid  his  paddle  on  deck. 

"So  am  I,"  answered  Serge,  "and,  what  is  worse — 
Here  the  lad  suddenly  checked  himself.  He  would 
not  add  to.  his  comrade's  misery  by  disclosing,  any 
sooner  than  he  could  help,  the  new  source  of  dread 
that  had  just  been  revealed  to  him  by  a  peculiar  motion 
of  their  frail  craft. 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 
SAVED    BY    A    MIRACLE 

SERGE  had  noticed  for  some  time  that  the  move- 
ments of  the  tiny  craft  in  which  he  and  Phil  Ryder 
were  navigating  the  mighty  waters  of  Bering  Sea  were 
heavy  and  lagging.  It  seemed  to  have  lost  life  and 
buoyancy.  Instead  of  gliding  smoothly  through  the 
water,  it  seemed  to  drag,  as  though  its  bottom  were  foul 
with  grasses  or  barnacles.  Serge  of  course  knew  that 
this  could  not  be  the  case,  and,  after  puzzling'over  the 
matter  for  some  time,  concluded  that  the  fault  did  not 
lie  so  much  with  the  boat  as  in  its  exhausted  crew,  who 
no  longer  possessed  the  strength  necessary  to  force  it 
ahead  with  the  same  speed  as  formerly. 

All  at  once  he  felt  a  movement  of  the  bidarkie's 
skin  between  its  wide-spread  ribs,  and  heard  a  peculiar 
sobbing  or  sucking  sound  that  instantly  explained  the 
situation.  It  also  filled  him  with  a  dread  before  which 
even  the  fact  that  they  were  drifting  helplessly  over 
the  vast  expanse  of  the  great  northern  sea  seemed  in- 
significant. 

A  bidarkie,  or  "  bidarka,"  as  it  is  often  spelled,  made 
of  green  sea-lion  skins  stretched  as  tightly  as  possible 
over  a  wooden  or  bone  frame,  allowed  to  dry  in  the 
wind  until  they  become  taut  and  smooth  as  a  drum- 
head, and  then  liberally  coated  with  seal-oil,  is,  for 
twenty-four  hours  or  so,  one  of  the  swiftest,  safest, 
smoothest,  and  most  graceful  of  craft.  A  few  years 
ago  two  wrecked  sailors  made  a  two-thousand  mile 
voyage  from  one  of  the  Aleutian  Islands  to  San  Fran- 

16 


242  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

cisco  in  a  nineteen-foot  bidarkie,  but  they  hugged  the 
coast,  took  inside  passages  wherever  it  was  possible, 
and  camped  on  shore  every  night.  By  so  doing  they 
were  enabled  to  lift  their  frail  craft  from  the  water, 
and  allow  it  to  dry  six,  eight,  or  ten  hours  out  of  every 
twenty-four.  Thus  it  retained  its  shape  and  remained 
serviceable  during  the  whole  of  that  tremendous  voy- 
age. If  they  had  not  been  able  to  do  this,  their  bid- 
arkie would  have  been  worthless  by  the  end  of  forty- 
eight  hours,  the  one  great  fault  of  this  craft  being  that 
after  a  while  its  skin  covering  becomes  water  -  soaked 
and  will  stretch.  In  this  condition  it  sags  in  and  out 
between  the  ribs  with  strange  sounds,  until  the  boat 
becomes  wellnigh  unmanageable.  By-and-by,  if  the 
soaking  and  stretching  process  continues,  the  skins  are 
so  softened  that  the  sinew  threads  with  which  they  are 
sewn  together  pull  out  and  the  seams  open.  Then  in 
a  moment  the  bidarkie  fills  and  sinks  like  a  lump  of 
lead. 

In  the  present  case  the  softening  process  had  begun, 
and  Serge  was  aware  of  it.  Before  another  day  was 
done  their  frail  craft  would  have  ceased  to  float,  and 
they — well,  they  would  be  beyond  the  reach  of  human 
aid  or  knowledge.  Their  bodies  would  be  hidden  deep 
beneath  the  cold  green  surface  of  Bering  Sea,  while 
their  unknown  fate  would  serve  as  a  matter  for  sad 
conjecture  for  many  a  day  to  the  dear  ones  whom 
they  should  never  again  see. 

All  this  flashed  through  the  lad's  mind  in  an  instant, 
with  the  bidarkie's  first  sobbing  intimation  that  its 
strength  was  nearly  gone,  and  he  was  on  the  point  of 
sharing  his  unhappy  knowledge  with  his  companion. 
But  why  should  he  ?  Poor  Phil  was  wretched  enough 
already.  No  ;  he  would  keep  the  discovery  to  himself, 
and  his  well-loved  comrade  should  be  spared  its  added 
terror  as  long  as  possible.  So,  when  the  latter  laid 


SAVED    BY    A    MIRACLE  243 

down  his  paddle,  declaring  himself  utterly  exhausted, 
Serge  answered,  "  So  am  I,  and,  what  is  worse,  I  don't 
believe  we  will  be  able  to  stand  watch  during  the 
night.  Certainly  both  of  us  can't  keep  awake  all  the 
time,  and  so,  old  fellow,  I  would  advise  you  to  get  a 
nap  if  you  can.  Before  sleep  overpowers  me  I  will 
wake  you,  and  so  we  will  keep  watch  by  turn  as  best 
we  may." 

"  What  shall  we  watch  for  ?"  asked  Phil,  in  a  hope- 
less tone. 

"  For  the  vessel  that  is  to  pick  us  up,  to  be  sure," 
replied  Serge. 

The  former  uttered  a  bitter  little  laugh,  as  he  said : 
"Then  we  might  as  well  watch  with  our  eyes  shut. 
There  is  no  wind  to  move  a  sailing-vessel,  even  if  there 
were  one  in  all  this  great  awful  sea,  which  I  doubt. 
As  for  a  steamer,  she  would  have  to  pass  within  fifty 
feet  before  any  one  aboard  could  either  see  or  hear  us. 
So  I  am  going  to  try  and  forget  our  troubles  in  sleep, 
and  would  advise  you  to  do  the  same.  Good-night, 
old  man." 

With  this  the  disheartened  lad  slipped  wearily  down 
into  the  bottom  of  the  canoe  until  his  head  rested  on 
the  hatch-coaming,  in  which  position  he  was  speedily 
oblivious  of  his  melancholy  surroundings.  He  dreamed 
of  his  adored  father  and  dear  Aunt  Ruth,  and  was  once 
more  in  his  far-away,  well-loved  Eastern  home.  So  he 
smiled  as  he  slept. 

As  Serge  sat  there  alone  amid  the  immensity  of  that 
silent  sea,  he  too  thought  of  his  home  in  green  Sitka, 
of  the  mother  and  sisters  who  were  watching  for  him, 
and  he  groaned  aloud  as  he  realized  how  little  chance 
he  had  of  ever  seeing  them  again.  Then  the  brave 
father,  whose  memory  had  been  with  him  all  these 
years,  seemed  to  appear  to  him  with  loving  words.  By 
these  he  was  so  soothed  and  comforted  that,  after 


244  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

a  while,  he  too  slipped  down,  and,  with  his  white  face 
upturned  to  the  dim  sky,  dropped  into  a  slumber  so 
profound  that  it  seemed  as  though  nothing  could  ever 
waken  him  from  it. 

So  for  an  hour,  or  perhaps  more,  the  bidarkie,  still 
upbearing  its  precious  human  freight,  drifted  through 
limitless  watery  space  unguided  and  unwatched,  save 
by  Him  who  watches  over  all  and  takes  note  of  all  in 
this  His  world. 

As  she  drifted,  the  tiny  craft  became  aware  of  a 
sister-ship  towering  dim  and  formless  through  the  mist, 
but  drifting  like  herself.  There  is  a  bond  of  sympathy 
between  drifting  ships,  called  by  some  people  the  at- 
traction of  floating  bodies,  that  impels  the  smaller  to 
seek  the  company  of  the  larger.  So  the  little  ship 
drew  gradually  nearer  and  nearer  to  its  big  sister,  and 
was  disappointed  when  the  latter  began  to  move  away. 
In  another  minute  she  would  have  disappeared,  and  the 
sleeping  lads  would  never  have  known  of  her  presence 
any  more  than  she  knew  of  theirs,  had  not  something 
so  incredible  and  wellnigh  impossible  happened  that 
-^  might  never  happen  again  in  all  the  years  of  the 
world. 

Just  as  the  steamer  began  to  move  away,  for  the  ship 
that  had  come  so  silently  drifting  through  the  fog  was 
no  other  than  the  steamer  Norsk,  which  had  left  St. 
Paul  that  very  afternoon,  something  small  and  sharp 
struck  Serge  Belcofsky's  face  with  stinging  force.  He 
started  up  with  a  piercing  scream  of  pain  and  fright, 
but  instantly  wide  awake. 

His  scream  was  answered  by  a  loud  "Hello!  Who's 
there  ?"  uttered  in  a  clear,  manly  voice  from  the  stern 
of  the  vanishing  ship. 

"Help!  Help!  Don't  leave  us!  Help!  Help!" 
yelled  Phil  and  Serge,  wild  with  excitement,  hope, 
and  fear.  At  the  same  time  they  tried  with  desperate 


SAVED    BY    A    MIRACLE  245 

energy  to  paddle  after  the  vision  of  safety  that  had  so 
suddenly  come  to  them,  and  now  seemed  about  to  dis- 
appear as  mysteriously  as  it  had  come^  It  did  indeed 
glide  out  of  sight  in  the  all-enshrouding  fog;  but  ere 
they  lost  hearing  of  the  many  sounds  now  arising  from 
it,  a  ship's  boat,  manned  by  lusty  oarsmen  who  uttered 
cheery  shouts  of  encouragement,  shot  out  of  the  mist 
and,  guided  by  the  voices  of  the  lads,  came  towards 
them.  In  the  bow  stood  the  sturdy,  well-balanced  fig- 
ure of  a  man  of  thirty,  holding  a  flaring  torch  above 
his  head.  The  closely-bearded  face  thus  revealed  was 
to  Phil  and  Serge  as  the  face  of  an  angel,  and  one  they 
would  never  forget. 

This  man  was  Gerald  Hamer,  a  Western  Yankee,  and 
leader  of  the  Yukon  Trading  Company,  that  the  Norsk 
was  taking  to  Fort  St.  Michaels.  It  was  he  who,  lean- 
ing over  the  after-rail  of  the  ship,  just  as  her  engines 
were  started,  after  being  stopped  for  an  hour  for  some 
slight  repairs,  heard  and  answered  the  despairing  call 
for  help,  that  apparently  came  from  the  very  waters 
beneath  him.  The  captain  lay  ill  in  his  cabin,  and  the 
first  officer,  a  thick-headed  fellow,  who  understood  Eng- 
lish very  imperfectly,  was  in  charge  of  the  ship. 

When  Gerald  Hamer  ran  forward,  told  him  of  what 
he  had  heard,  and  begged  him,  in  the  name  of  human- 
ity, to  stop  his  ship  and  send  a  boat  to  the  relief  of  those 
who  were  crying  for  help,  the  fellow  refused  to  do  so. 

"Ids  some  of  dem  nadives,"  he  said;  "ve  cannod 
vaste  dime  on  dem." 

"  Natives  nothing  !  you  thundering  blockhead  !" 
roared  Gerald  Hamer. .  "  If  they  were,  you'd  stop 
and  see  what  trouble  they  were  in,  or  I'd  know  why. 
But  I  tell  you  they  are  white  men,  and  Americans.  I 
know  the  Yankee  tongue  when  I  hear  it,  if  you  don't ; 
so  stop  your  ship,  and  stop  her  quick,  too,  or,  by  Hookey, 
I  and  my  men  will  stop  her  for  you  !" 


246 

Thick-headed  as  he  was,  the  mate  realized  in  a  mo- 
ment that  he  could  not  safely  refuse  to  obey  this  com- 
mand, backed  as  it  was  by  a  score  of  sturdy  Americans 
who,  at  the  sound  of  their  leader's  voice,  were  gather- 
ing about  him  like  a  swarm  of  angry  hornets.  So  he 
gave  the  requisite  order  in  a  surly  tone,  and  the  re- 
cently-started engines  were  again  stopped. 

"  Bud  I  shall  nod  risg  my  mans  for  dot  dirdy  na- 
dives,"  he  said.  "  If  a  boad  goes,  den  musd  you  dake 
it  yourselluf." 

"  Take  it  myself  !  Certainly  I  will !"  cried  Gerald 
Hamer.  "  Do  you  suppose  I'd  let  you  or  your  lubberly 
crew  have  the  honor  of  rescuing  one  of  my  countrymen  ? 
Not  much  !  Here,  men,  I  want  half  a  dozen  volunteers 
for  dangerous  boat  -  duty.  Now  don't  all  speak  at 
once." 

But  they  did,  and,  as  though  with  the  voice  of  one 
man,  raised  a  mighty  shout  of  "  Aye,  aye,  sir  !" 

Their  leader  smiled  as  he  detailed  six  men  to  lower 
a  boat  and  go  with  him  in  it.  To  the  others  he  said: 
"  You  fellows  stay  here,  and  see  that  this  ship  doesn't 
move  an  inch  till  I  come  back.  Not  an  inch,  if  I'm 
gone  a  year.  Do  you  hear  ?" 

"  Aye,  aye,  sir  !" 

"And  keep  the  ship's  bell  ringing  eight  bells  till  I 
get  back,  too,  so  that  I  can  locate  her  if  we  get  out 
of  sight." 

"Aye,  aye,  sir!"  and  for  the  next  fifteen  minutes  it 
seemed  as  though  the  clangor  of  that  brazen-throated 
bell  might  have  been  heard  from  Bering  Strait  to 
Oonimak. 

"  White  men,  as  I  said ;  and  Americans,  I'll  be 
bound !"  cried  Gerald  Hamer,  as  the  light  of  his  torch 
fell  on  the  object  of  his  search.  "  Great  Scott  !  they're 
only  boys,  and  their  craft  is  a  water-logged  bladder  ! 
How  in  the  name  of  the  good  and  the  great —  But 


SAVED    BY    A    MIRACLE  247 

there,  lads  !  no  matter — you  are  safe  now.  Your  trou- 
bles are  all  over." 

As  he  spoke  these  last  words  the  strong  man's  voice 
grew  husky,  and  his  eyes  moistened,  for  poor  Phil's 
overstrained  nerves  had  given  way,  and  he  was  sob- 
bing hysterically,  while  Serge  also  seemed  on  the  very 
point  of  breaking  down. 

Very  tenderly  were  the  rescued  lads  lifted  from  the 
frail  little  craft,  that  had  upheld  them  so  bravely,  into 
the  ship's  boat.  They  were  too  stiff  and  numbed  to 
stand.  They  could  not  even  sit  up,  but  sank  limply 
into  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  their  heads  pillowed  on 
coats  gladly  offered  by  members  of  the  crew. 

Then,  with  the  bidarkie  in  tow,  the  boat  was  headed 
back  through  the  fog  towards  the  clanging  bell.  Ten 
minutes  later,  Phil  and  Serge,  each  surrounded  by  a 
group  of  rough  but  willing  nurses,  were  between  warm 
blankets,  their  bidarkie  had  been  hoisted  on  deck,  and 
the  good  ship  Norsk  was  cleaving  the  waters  of  Bering 
Sea,  on  her  way  to  the  distant  port  of  St.  Michaels. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 
JAPONSKl's  TEMPTATION   AND  THE  FUR-TRADER's  OFFER 

WHEN  the  steamer  Norsk  left  the  harbor  of  Oona- 
laska,  on  the  very  day  that  Mr.  John  Ryder  took  lunch 
with  her  captain,  she  carried  with  her  the  fur-seal's 
tooth.  Japonski,  the  table -boy,  had  listened  with 
avaricious  ears  to  the  story  of  its  value.  He  hoped 
soon  to  go  to  Sitka  himself,  for  he  had  a  brother  there, 
employed  as  wardroom  boy  on  an  American  man-of- 
war.  How  well  it  would  be  to  have  one  thousand  of 
those  big  American  dollars  to  show  to  him  and  to 
spend  !  Japonski's  brother  had  laughed  when  he  sailed 
on  the  Norsk,  and  told  him  that  not  many  yen  could 
be  picked  up  in  the  merchant  -  service.  So  it  had 
proved  ;  but  here  was  a  chance.  A  tooth  would  be  a 
very  little  thing,  and  so  easy  to  hide.  The  white  man 
said,  "He  who  stole  it  would  have  no  good-fortune"; 
but  he  must  have  said  that  to  make  him,  Japonski, 
afraid  ;  but  a  Hakodate  man  was  not  afraid.  He 
would  prove  it. 

So  Japonski  slipped  the  fur -seal's  tooth  up  his 
sleeve,  even  while,  with  innocent  face,  he  handed  the 
overcoat  to  Mr.  Ryder.  That  night,  in  the  privacy  of 
his  own  cubby-hole,  just  off  the  pantry,  he  examined 
his  prize,  and  gloated  over  it.  The  white  man  had 
gone  without  suspecting  him,  and  the  ship  was  already 
far  on  her  way.  Whatever  this  thing  was  worth,  it 
was  his,  and  no  one  would  ever  know  how  he  obtained 
it.  He  smiled  scornfully  at  the  thought  of  its  bring- 


JAPONSKl's   TEMPTATION  249 

ing  him  any  misfortune ;  but,  as  he  looked  at  it  closely, 
the  smile  faded  from  his  face. 

That  bit  of  ivory  had  never  been  carved  by  Indian 
hands,  nor  by  Aleuts,  nor  Eskimo.  Nowhere  in  the 
world  could  such  dainty  work  be  done,  save  in  his  own 
country,  and  who  would  thus  depict  the  frowning  face 
of  Buddha,  terror  of  evil-doers,  except  a  devout  native 
of  Japan,  That  was  one  emblem  borne  by  the  ivory 
tooth.  On  the  opposite  side  was  a  fish.  What  could 
it  be  but  the  lucky  fish  of  Queen  Jung-gu,  the  con- 
queror of  Corea  ? 

Alas,  that  he  had  dared  steal  a  curio  of  such  omen 
as  this  ;  but  he  could  not  give  it  back.  He  dared  not 
give  it  to  any  except  him  from  whom  he  had  stolen  it. 
So  he  hid  it  away;  but  he  thought  of  it  all  the  time, 
and  from  that  day  all  things  seemed  to  go  wrong  with 
him.  Never  had  he  broken  so  many  dishes,  never 
spoiled  so  much  food,  never  so  incurred  the  captain's 
wrath.  Still  he  clung  to  the  topth,  and  would  not  part 
with  it.  The  white  man  had  said  it  was  worth  one 
thousand  silver  dollars ;  that  would  be  fifteen  hundred 
silver  yen,  and  on  that  sum  he  could  live  like  a  prince 
for  many  years  in  his  own  country. 

At  the  Pribyloffs  the  Norsk  took  on  board  one  Nik- 
rik,  an  Aleut,  who  had  been  for  some  years  employed 
at  St.  Michaels,  to  act  as  a  pilot  through  the  shoals  of 
Norton's  Sound.  Although  there  was  a  strong  gen- 
eral resemblance  between  this  man  and  the  cabin-boy, 
each  of  them  regarded  the  other  as  belonging  to  an 
inferior  race.  As,  however,  they  were  both  looked 
down  on  by  the  whites,  they  were  almost  forced  into 
each  other's  society,  and  thus  it  came  about  that,  very 
early  in  their  acquaintance,  Japonski  displayed  his 
treasure  to  Nikrik,  and  asked  him  what  he  thought 
of  it. 

Now  the  Aleut  was  too  great  a  traveller  not  to 


250  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH. 

have  heard  of  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  for  it  was  known — 
at  least,  by  fame — to  all  Northern  Alaska,  and  the  mo- 
ment he  saw  it  he  was  determined  to  possess  it.  So 
he  told  Japonski  tales  of  its  strange  power  for  evil  over 
all  but  those  native  to  Alaska,  and  tried  to  frighten 
him  into  giving  it  up.  But  Japonski  only  smiled 
blandly  and  said,  "  Alle  same  I  keep  him." 

Still,  he  was  made  uneasy  by  these  tales,  and  from 
that  moment  misfortunes  seemed  to  crowd  upon  him 
more  thickly  than  ever.  At  length  he  so  enraged  Cap- 
tain Kuhn  by  his  carelessness  that  that  individual 
turned  purple  in  the  face,  became  speechless,  and  was 
threatened  with  an  apoplectic  fit.  Japonski  had  seen 
him  thus  before,  and  knew  just  what  to  do.  There  was 
a  certain  medicine  that  must  be  given  quickly.  He  pre- 
pared it,  and  forced  a  spoonful  down  the  captain's 
throat.  To  his  horror  the  captain  turned  white  and 
rigid,  and,  to  all  appearances,  died,  then  and  there. 

The  terrified  cabin-boy  rushed  out  for  aid,  and  the 
very  first  person  he  came  across  was  the  chief  engi- 
neer, who  was  regulating  a  delicate  bit  of  machinery. 
The  engineer  was  so  startled  by  Japonski's  sudden  ap- 
pearance that  he  dropped  a  tool  into  the  machinery, 
something  snapped,  and,  a  moment  later,  the  engines 
were  stopped  for  repairs.  Then  Japonski  ran  and  hid 
himself  in  his  cubby-hole,  where  Nikrik,  finding  him 
some  time  later,  said  that  if  the  captain  died  and  the 
ship  was  lost  it  would  all  be  owing  to  the  fur-seal's 
tooth,  which  he  must  give  up  at  once  in  order  to  avoid 
further  disaster. 

Upon  this,  Japonski  conceived  such  a  horror  of  the 
bit  of  ivory,  that  he  rushed  frantically  on  deck  and 
flung  it  with  all  his  might  into  the  sea.  Almost  at  the 
same  instant  the  engines  were  again  started,  and,  when 
he  went  below,  the  first  news  he  heard  was  that  the 
captain  was  getting  better.  So  he  was  glad  of  what 


• 


JAPONSKl's    TEMPTATION  251 

he  had  done,  though  it  had  cost  him  a  fortune  in  silver 
yen. 

Early  the  next  morning,  when  Nikrik  went  on  deck 
before  any  one  else  except  the  watch,  he  spied  the  bid- 
arkie  in  which  our  lads  had  come,  and  examined  it 
closely  to  see  where  it  had  been  made,  and  by  whom. 
As  he  turned  it  over,  something  rattled  inside  of  its 
parchment  skin.  The  Aleut  reached  in  to  feel  for  the 
cause  of  this  sound,  and,  when  he  withdrew  his  hand, 
clutching  the  fur-seal's  tooth  that  he  had  supposed  was 
lost  forever,  his  oily  face  was  overspread  with  a  broad 
grin  of  gratified  surprise.  He  knew,  of  course,  that  Ja- 
ponski  had  flung  it  overboard,  and  now  he  also  knew 
that,  by  some  miracle  which  he  attributed  to  the  magic 
power  of  the  tooth  itself,  it  had  fallen  into  the  drifting 
bidarkie.  Nikrik  had  recognized  the  lads  when  they 
were  brought  on  board  the  night  before  ;  but,  with  the 
usual  reticence  of  his  race,  he  had  not  yet  mentioned 
this  fact.  Now  he  was  glad  of  ,it,  because  it  was  pos- 
sible that  one  of  them  might  claim  the  treasure  he  had 
just  stolen;  for  to  an  Aleut  it  is  as  much  of  a  theft  to 
take  a  thing  from  a  bidarkie  as  from  its  owner.  So 
Nikrik's  guilty  conscience  caused  him  to  avoid  Phil 
and  Serge  as  much  as  possible  during  the  short  time 
that  they  remained  on  the  same  ship. 

The  pilot's  thoughts  dwelt  so  constantly  on  his 
newly-acquired  treasure  that,  in  his  absent-mindedness, 
he  ran  the  Norsk  ashore,  when  close  to  Fort  St.  Mi- 
chaels, in  one  of  the  channels  with  which  he  was  most 
familiar.  This  so  enraged  the  mate  that  he  ordered 
him  from  the  bridge,  and  declared  he  should  have  no 
pay.  That  very  evening,  on  shore,  Nikrik  engaged  in 
a  gambling  game  with  some  Yukon  Indians,  who  had 
come  to  the  fort  to  trade.  In  this,  luck  ran  so  strongly 
against  him,  that,  before  morning,  he  had  staked  and 
lost  everything  of  value  he  possessed,  including  the 


252  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

fur-seal's  tooth.  This  fell  to  the  lot  of  a  young  Indian, 
who,  ignorant  of  its  true  value,  traded  it  to  a  recently- 
arrived  clerk  of  the  post  for  a  pound  of  tobacco.  With 
an  air  of  great  satisfaction  the  clerk  added  this  new 
charm  to  some  others  that  dangled  from  his  massive 
(plated)  watch  -  chain.  There  it  attracted  curiosity, 
envy,  and  whispered  remarks  from  all  the  natives 
whose  eyes  happened  to  light  upon  it. 

Phil  and  Serge  did  not  leave  the  bunks  in  which 
their  friendly  rescuers  had  placed  them  for  a  day  and 
a  night  after  going  on  board  the  Norsk,  during  which 
time  they  slept  almost  continuously.  When  they  did 
appear  on  deck,  they  were  so  thoroughly  refreshed 
that  no  trace  remained  of  their  recent  terrible  advent- 
ure, that  now  seemed  to  them  only  like  some  dreadful 
nightmare.  Until  now  they  had  not  known  nor  cared 
whither  they  were  being  carried;  but  the  moment  they 
stepped  on  deck,  and  while  they  were  being  warmly 
greeted  by  Gerald  Hamer,  their  eyes  turned  wonder- 
ingly  to  a  low  coast  visible  on  the  right.  As  soon  as 
they  found  a  chance  they  inquired  eagerly  what  land  it 
was,  and  on  being  told  that  it  was  the  southern  coast  of 
Norton  Sound,  while  the  Alaska  Company's  trading- 
post  of  Fort  St.  Michaels  was  directly  ahead,  they  gazed 
at  each  other  in  speechless  dismay. 

"  Is  that  where  you  were  bound  for  when  you  got 
lost  ?"  asked  Mr.  Hamer,  politely;  for  he  had  not  yet 
learned  the  story  of  their' wanderings. 

"  No,"  answered  Phil,  with  a  melancholy  smile ;  "  we 
were  bound  for  Sitka." 

"Sitka!"  exclaimed  Gerald  Hamer.  "Then  you 
have  come  from  the  north,  I  suppose  ?" 

"  No,  we  have  come  from  Victoria,  which,  I  believe, 
is  somewhat  south  of  this." 

"  Well,  I  should  say  it  was  !  About  three  thousand 
miles  !  And,  as  Sitka  is  all  of  twenty-one  hundred  miles 


JAPONSKl's   TEMPTATION  253 

from  here,  I  wish  you  would  tell  me  how  you  have 
managed  to  miss  it  so  completely,  and  drift  up  into 
this  latitude?" 

As  Nikrik  ran  the  ship  aground  on  a  mud-flat  just 
then,  there  was  plenty  of  time,  while  waiting  for  the 
tide  to  float  her  off,  for  the  lads  to  relate  the  story  of 
their  wanderings  and  adventures.  The  fur-trader  lis- 
tened to  it  with  profound  interest,  and,  when  it  was 
concluded,  he  said : 

"  If  that  doesn't  beat  all  the  roundabout  travelling 
and  hard  luck  that  ever  I  heard  of  !  I  should  think 
you  would  be  sick  of  the  sea,  and  willing  to  try  dry 
land  for  a  while  by  this  time." 

"So  we  are,"  answered  Serge;  "but,  as  the  railroad 
isn't  even  laid  out  yet,  I  suppose  we  shall  have  to  go 
back  on  this  ship — at  least,  as  far  as  Oonalaska." 

"  But  she  isn't  going  there,"  said  Mr.  Hamer.  "  She 
is  chartered  to  carry  a  cargo  of  furs  from  here  to 
China." 

"  Whew  !"  whistled  Phil.  "  And  is  that  where  you 
are  going  ?" 

"  Oh  no,  I  am  bound  for  Sitka,"  laughed  the  trader. 

"  What  ?"  cried  both  lads,  in  amazement. 

"  Yes,  I  mean  it ;  though,  to  be  sure,  I  expect  to  reach 
there  in  rather  a  curious  way.  You  see,  I  have  in  this 
ship  a  steamboat  in  sections,  a  saw-mill,  some  mining 
machinery,  and  a  couple  of  hundred  tons  of  merchan- 
dise. I  am  going  to  put  my  steamboat  together  as 
soon  as  we  get  on  shore,  load  my  freight  aboard,  and 
take  her  a  thousand  miles  up  the  Yukon  River  to  the 
mining  camp  at  Forty-mile  Creek.  There  I  shall  leave 
her  for  the  winter  and  go  out  on  snow-shoes,  with  dog- 
sledges,  seven  hundred  miles  across  country  to  Pyra- 
mid Harbor,  where  I  can  get  a  steamer  most  any  time 
for  Sitka,  or  Juneau,  either  of  which  is  only  about  one 
hundred  miles  farther.  From  one  of  those  places  I 


254  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

shall  go  down  to  San  Francisco  for  a  new  stock  of 
goods,  and  have  them  up  here  in  time  to  meet  my 
steamboat  again  in  the  early  summer. 

"  Most  of  the  men  I  have  with  me  now  are  ship- 
carpenters,  who  will  go  back  on  this  steamer  to  San 
Francisco,  by  way  of  China ;  so  only  about  half  a  dozer 
will  remain  with  me,  and  I  should  be  very  glad  of  a 
couple  more  hands.  Now,  if  you  care  to  take  this  trip 
with  me  and  are  willing  to  work  your  passage,  I  will 
pay  all  your  expenses,  and  guarantee  to  land  you  in 
Sitka,  sooner  or  later.  What  do  you  say  ?  Will  you 
do  it  ?" 


CHAPTER   XXXIX 
SEEGE    RECOVERS   A   BIT    OF   LOST   PROPERTY 

ON  hearing  the  surprising  and  unexpected  proposi- 
tion made  by  the  leader  of  the  fur-traders  at  the  close 
of  the  last  chapter,  Phil  and  Serge  looked  inquiringly 
at  each  other.  Both  of  them  were  greatly  pleased 
with  Gerald  Hamer,  who  displayed  the  strength  of 
character,  combined  with  an  engaging  frankness,  that 
always  appeals  to  manly  lads,  especially  when  exhib- 
ited by  one  a  little  older  than  themselves. 

"  What  do  you  say,  Serge  ?" 

"  I'd  love  to  do  it." 

"  So  would  I." 

"I  don't  know  what  else  we  can  do,  anyway.  I'm 
sure  we  don't  want  to  go  to  China  under  the  circum- 
stances, and  we  haven't  any  money  to  live  on  here 
while  waiting  for  some  schooner  to  come  along  and 
take  us  away." 

"  No,"  said  Phil ;  "  and,  as  it  is  now  well  on  into 
August,  we  might  have  to  wait  all  winter,  which  would 
be  horrid." 

"  It  would  be  a  splendid  chance  to  see  the  country." 

"  So  it  would,  and  that  is  just  what  I  came  North 
for  ;  while,  thus  far,  I  haven't  seen  much  except  the 
waters  surrounding  it,  and  a  few  islands.  If  it  wasn't 
for  my  father,  I'd  say  *  yes '  quick  enough.  But  what 
will  he  think ? — in  fact, what  must  he  be  thinking  now? 
If  I  could  only  get  word  to  him,  somehow,  that  I  was 
all  right,  and  that  there  wasn't  the  slightest  cause  for 
anxiety." 


256 

"And  if  I  could  only  send  some  comforting  message 
to  my  poor  dear  mother,"  reflected  Serge. 

"  There  is  a  chance  to  do  that,"  said  Gerald  Ha- 
mer,  "  which  I  suppose  I  ought  to  have  mentioned  in 
the  first  place.  This  steamer  is  obliged  to  stop  some- 
where near  the  Pribyloff  Islands  on  her  return  voyage, 
to  drop  the  native  pilot  who  belongs  there,  and  whom 
they  are  under  contract  to  return.  You  might  send 
letters  by  him  as  far  as  that,  and  run  the  chance  of 
their  being  forwarded.  I  suppose  you  might  make 
some  arrangement  to  go  that  far  yourselves  as  well, 
though  I  am  afraid  Captain  Kuhn  would  charge  a  tidy 
sum  for  your  passage.  Still,  if  you  want  to  ask  him, 
and  he  is  well  enough  to  see  you,  I  will — " 

"We  don't,"  interrupted  Phil,  resolutely.  "We 
haven't  any  money  with  which  to  pay  for  a  passage  to 
the  Pribyloffs,  and  I,  for  one,  wouldn't  go  near  them 
again,  even  if  I  owned  the  steamer — in  fact,  I  am  tired 
and  sick  of  this  miserable,  cold,  foggy  Bering  Sea, 
and  long  to  get  away  from  it.  It  seems  to  me  that  a 
trip  on  dry  land  is  the  thing  I  should  most  enjoy  just 
at  present.  So,  if — " 

"  Don't  conceive  a  false  impression  of  what  I  am 
proposing,"  laughed  Gerald  Hamer.  "Most  of  my 
coming  journey  is  to  be  made  on  the  waters  of  the 
Yukon,  and  will  be  filled  with  hardships  and  trials. 
There  will  be  fine  hunting  of  moose,  deer,  bear,  and 
other  such  game,  if  you  care  for  that ;  but  not  much 
else  in  the  way  of  recreation.  Then,  the  last  part  of 
the  trip  will  be  made  in  arctic  weather,  over  snowy 
plains  and  frozen  lakes,  up  ice  -  bound  rivers,  and 
through  mountain  passes  where  the  drifts  will  be  hun- 
dreds of  feet  deep." 

"  That's  so  !"  exclaimed  Phil.  "  You  did  mention 
*  snow-shoes  and  sledges.'  That  settles  it.  I  have 
always  wanted  to  be  an  arctic  explorer,  and  I'd  rather 


SERGE    RECOVERS    A   BIT    OF    LOST    PROPERTY      257 

take  a  dog-sledge  and  snow-shoe  journey  than  anything 
else  in  the  world.  Besides,  as  it  really  seems  to  be  the 
only  way  for  us  to  get  to  Sitka,  it  would  be  worse  than 
foolish  for  us  to  throw  away  such  a  goocl  chance.  I've 
done  so  many  foolish  things  already  on  this  journey 
that  I  don't  mean  to  be  guilty  of  another  between  here 
and  Sitka.  So,  Mr.  Hamer,  we  not  only  accept  your 
offer,  but  thank  you  heartily  for  making  it,  and  are 
ready  to  go  with  you  this  very  minute.  Aren't  we, 
Serge?" 

"It's  just  as  you  say,"  laughed  Serge.  "So  long 
as  I  got  you  into  this  scrape,  I'm  bound  to  see  you 
through  it,  and  stick  by  you  till  we  get  to  Sitka,  if  it 
takes  the  rest  of  my  natural  life." 

"  You're  a  trump,  old  man  !"  cried  Phil,  heartily, 
clapping  his  friend  on  the  shoulder  as  he  spoke.  "And 
our  motto,  like  that  of  the  fellow  who  was  bound 
across  the  plains  to  Pike's  Peak,  shall  be  '  Sitka,  or 
bust !'  I'm  awfully  glad,  though,  that  you  feel  as  you 
do  about  having  got  me  into  a  scrape,  for  I  had  a  sort 
of  uneasy  notion  that  it  was  I  who  had  brought  you 
into  one." 

While  Phil  and  Serge  were  writing  the  letters  to 
be  sent  back  by  Nikrik,  the  Norsk  floated  off  the  mud- 
bank,  and  proceeded  to  an  anchorage  nearly  three 
miles  off  St.  Michaels,  a  nearer  approach  being  barred 
by  shoal  water. 

St.  Michaels  is  the  most  northerly  of  the  Alaska  Fur 
Company's  trading-posts,  and  is  also  the  most  north- 
erly settlement  of  white  men  in  Alaska.  To  be  sure, 
there  are  two  or  three  lonely  whites  in  charge  of  the 
Government  Reindeer  Station  at  Port  Clarence,  one 
hundred  miles  farther  north,  while  away  up  on  the 
bleak  shore  of  the  Arctic  Ocean,  at  the  extreme  north- 
ern point  of  the  American  mainland,  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  wave  proudly  above  another  brave  little  band, 

17 


258  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

who  maintain  the  Government  Relief  Station  of  Point 
Barrow. 

St.  Michaels  consists  of  the  company's  store  and 
warehouse,  an  old  loop-holed  block-house,  some  twenty 
residences,  a  Greek  church  painted  red,  a  school-house, 
and  the  few  scattered  huts  or  tents  of  visiting  natives. 
It  is  located  on  the  bluff,  seaward  point  of  a  small 
barren  island  situated  eighty  miles  north  of  the  great 
Yukon  delta,  and  affording  the  first  bit  of  coast  avail- 
able for  white  occupation  in  all  that  distance  of  limit- 
less swamps  and  mud-flats.  As  it  is  the  only  point  at 
which  sea-going  vessels  can  approach  anywhere  near  the 
coast,  it  is  the  great  transfer  station  for  the  entire  Yukon 
River  trade,  which,  beyond  here,  is  carried  on  by  means 
of  small  stern-wheeled  steamboats  of  less  than  three  feet 
draught.  It  was  on  the  island  of  St.  Michaels,  there- 
fore, that  Gerald  Hamer  proposed  to  land  his  cargo, 
set  up  his  steamboat,  and  prepare  for  his  long  trip  into 
the  distant  and  almost  unexplored  interior. 

As  soon  as  the  steamer  Norsk  came  to  anchor,  he 
borrowed  our  lads'  bidarkie,  and,  taking  only  Nikrik 
with  him,  went  ashore  to  select  a  landing-place  and 
camp  site.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  he  re- 
turned alone,  wearied  by  his  hard  trip  and  angry  at 
the  reception  with  which  he  had  met,  but  more  de- 
termined than  ever  to  proceed  with  his  undertaking,  in 
spite  of  all  obstacles.  The  Alaska  Company  had  for 
so  long  monopolized  the  fur  trade  of  the  vast  region 
drained  by  the  mighty  Yukon  and  its  tributaries  that 
they  were  furious  at  the  prospect  of  a  rival,  and  deter- 
mined to  prevent  it  from  establishing  itself,  if  possible. 
Their  annual  supply-ship  from  San  Francisco,  bring- 
ing a  large  stock  of  merchandise,  several  new  clerks, 
and  the  news  of  the  world,  including  that  of  the  for- 
mation of  a  rival  company,  had  arrived  and  departed 
shortly  before  the  coming  of  the  Norsk.  Consequently, 


SERGE  RECOVERS  A  BIT  OF  LOST  PROPERTY   259 

when  Gerald  Hamer  went  ashore  and  introduced  him- 
self to  the  agent  in  charge,  he  was  very  coldly  received, 
and  was  forbidden*  to  land  his  cargo  within  the  limits 
of  the  post. 

Upon  his  return,  which  he  was  obliged  to  make 
alone,  Nikrik  having  disappeared  among  the  huts  of 
the  visiting  natives,  the  young  fur -trader  called  his 
men  together  and  addressed  them  as  follows: 

"  Lads,  we've  got  a  fight  on  our  hands.  The  people 
on  shore  say  that  we  sha'n't  land.  The  whole  settle- 
ment is  a  trading-post  belonging  to  the  old  company, 
who  have  fenced  it  in,  as  well  as  a  long  strip  of  the 
best  beach.  The  only  other  place  where  we  could 
make  a  landing  is  on  a  bit  of  beach  just  beyond  their 
line,  and  I  think  they  mean  to  fence  and  claim  that 
to-morrow.  Now,  I  don't  intend  to  interfere  with  any 
one's  established  rights,  nor  am  I  inclined  to  yield  my 
own.  That  strip  of  unfenced  beach  is  government 
land,  to  which  our  right  is  as  -good  as  theirs.  I  pro- 
pose, therefore,  to  steal  a  march  on  them  by  making  a 
landing  to-night  with  a  raft  of  lumber,  staking  out  a 
claim,  and  having  our  shanties  up  before  morning. 
What  do  you  say  ?  Are  you  with  me  ?" 

"Aye,  aye,  sir!"  came  the  hearty  shout  of  the  en- 
tire party,  and  then,  in  individual  voices :  "  That  we 
are  !"  "Only  you  lead  the  way,  and  we'll  follow  close 
enough!"  "We'll  euchre  them  yet!"  "I'd  like  to 
see  them  try  to  drive  us  off  from  Uncle  Sam's  land  !" 
and  so  on,  until  the  smiling  leader  raised  his  hand  for 
silence. 

"Thank  you,  men,"  he  said,  simply.  "I  knew  I 
could  depend  on  you,  and  now  let  us  get  to  work." 

All  night  long,  under  the  skilful  direction  of  the 
leader,  the  labor  progressed  steadily  and  cheerfully. 
Boats  plied  incessantly  between  ship  and  shore,  a  huge 
raft  of  lumber  was  floated  to  the  beach,  and  when, 


260  THE  FUK-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

some  hours  after  sunrise,  the  sleepy  inmates  of  Fort 
St.  Michaels  issued  from  their  houses,  they  stared  with 
amazement  at  what,  but  the  evening  before,  had  been 
a  stretch  of  vacant  land  just  beyond  their  boundary. 
Now,  a  large  portion  of  it,  including  the  beach,  was 
staked  out,  a  landing  of  log  crib-work  filled  with  rocks 
projected  into  the  water,  two  rough  board  shanties  and 
a  dozen  tents  had  been  erected,  camp-fires  were  blaz- 
ing cheerily,  and  the  sturdy  colonists  of  this  new  settle- 
ment were  busily  eating  their  well-earned  breakfasts. 

In  all  this  work  Phil  and  Serge  had  displayed  such 
willingness  and  activity  as  to  draw  forth  the  hearty 
approval  of  Gerald  Hamer.  Through  the  night  he 
seemed  to  be  everywhere,  and  in  all  places  at  once, 
always  ready  to  lend  a  helping  hand  or  speak  a  cheer- 
ing word,  and  at  breakfast-time  Phil  confided  to  Serge 
that,  under  such  leadership,  Sitka  really  seemed  nearer 
at  hand  than  it  had  since  they  started  from  Victoria. 

As  it  had  been  begun,  so  the  work  progressed  with 
perfect  method  and  the  utmost  expedition.  In  ten 
days  after  the  Norsk's  arrival,  her  entire  cargo  was  on 
shore  and  under  cover,  the  steamboat  was  ready  to  be 
launched  and  receive  her  machinery,  and  it  seemed 
certain  that,  early  in  September,  the  Yukon  party 
would  be  off.  All  this  had  been  accomplished  in  the 
face  of  heavy  odds,  and  every  impediment  had  been 
thrown  in  the  way  of  the  new  company  by  the  old 
settlers.  If  Gerald  Harner  hired  native  laborers, 
threats  and  bribes  were  used  to  induce  these  to  desert 
him.  Those  who  did  work  for  him  were  paid  in  sil- 
ver coin,  which  was  pronounced  worthless  at  the  com- 
pany's store,  and  refused  when  offered  in  exchange  for 
goods. 

Native  spies  in  the  employ  of  the  old  company 
lurked  about  the  camp  at  all  hours  ;  tools  were  stolen, 
or  rendered  worthless,  at  every  opportunity,  and  boats 


SERGE  RECOVERS  A  BIT  OF  LOST  PROPERTY   261 

were  set  adrift,  or  had  holes  bored  in  their  bottoms 
during  the  night. 

At  length  Gerald  Hamer  asked  Phil  and  Serge  if 
they  would  get  what  sleep  they  could  in  the  daytime, 
and  act  as  camp-guards  at  night.  "I  feel  that  I  can 
trust  you  two  implicitly,"  he  said. 

They  willingly  agreed  to  do  this,  and  on  that  very 
night,  while  they  were  patrolling  opposite  sides  of  the 
camp,  Serge  sprang  upon  a  skulking  figure  who,  by  a 
violent  effort,  wrenched  himself  free  and  escaped,  leav- 
ing only  a  broken  watch-chain  in  the  lad's  hand.  To 
his  unbounded  amazement,  when  he  and  Phil  examined 
this  trophy  by  lantern-light,  he  found  attached  to  it, 
as  a  charm,  the  identical  bit  of  carved  ivory  that  he  had 
given  to  his  comrade  in  New  London,  and  which  the 
latter  had  lost  so  long  ago. 

"The  fur -seal's  tooth!"  he  cried,  almost  doubting 
the  evidence  of  his  eyes. 

"  It  certainly  is  !"  exclaimed  Phil,  as  he  examined 
it  curiously. 

"  There  must  be  magic  in  it,  or  how  could  it  possi- 
bly have  come  here  ?"  added  Serge. 

"  Let  me  have  that  bit  of  chain  and  the  rest  of  those 
charms,  and  I'll  find  out  what  magic  there  is  about  it," 
said  Phil,  mysteriously. 

Serge  gave  them  to  him,  and  on  the  following  day 
Phil  went,  for  the  first  time,  to  the  company's  store  in 
the  trading-post. 

"Do  you  know  to  whom  these  belong?"  he  asked 
of  the  first  man  he  met,  at  the  same  time  displaying 
the  trophy  captured  the  night  before. 

"  Why,  yes,"  answered  the  man,  examining  them 
closely.  "  They  belong  to  that  fellow  over  there." 

Turning  in  the  direction  indicated,  Phil  beheld  the 
man  who,  he  believed,  had  injured  him  more  than  any 
one  else  in  the  world — Simon  Goldollar. 


CHAPTER  XL 
A   PROSPECT    OF    SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES 

"You  scoundrel  !"  shouted  Phil,  springing  to  where 
Goldollar  was  seated  at  a  desk,  and  standing  squarely 
in  front  of  him.  "How  dare  you  show  your  thief's 
face  among  honest  men  ?" 

"  Oh,  it  is  you,  is  it  ?"  retorted  the  other,  coolly,  star- 
ing at  Phil  from  head  to  foot.  "  What  are  you  doing 
here,  where  you  have  no  business  and  are  not  wanted, 
and  what  do  you  mean  by  calling  me  a  thief  ?" 

"  I  mean  what  I  say.  Didn't  you  steal  this  from, 
me  ?"  Here  Phil  produced  the  fur-seal's  tooth. 

"No,  I  did  not.  I  bought  it  from  a  Yukon  Indian 
a  few  days  ago." 

"  That's  false,  and  you  know  it.  But  never  mind. 
Didn't  you  steal  nearly  one  hundred  dollars  from  me 
on  the  Canadian  Pacific  train  ?" 

"No,  I  did  not.  I  saw  you  stick  a  wad  of  bills  in 
your  pocket,  and  thought  at  the  time  you  were  the 
most  careless  fellow  with  money  I  ever  knew  ;  but  I 
never  touched  it  or  thought  of  doing  such  a  thing." 

"  Perhaps  you  will  also  deny  having  me  arrested  on 
a  false  charge  in  Victoria  ?"  said  Phil,  his  voice  trem- 
bling with  anger. 

"Yes,  I  do  deny  having  you  arrested  on  a  false 
charge,  but  not  on  a  true  one.  The  charge  was  threat- 
ened assault  and  battery,  and  I  think  I  let  you  off 
pretty  easy  by  not  staying  to  press  it.  Now,  if  you 
don't  keep  a  civil  tongue  in  your  head,  and  get  out  of 
here  pretty  quick,  you'll  find  yourself  in  a  worse  fix 


A    PROSPECT    OF    SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES       263 

mighty  sudden.  Say,  Jacob,  where  did  I  get  that  fur- 
seal's  tooth  I  have  been  wearing  as  a  watch-charm  ?" 
he  asked  of  one  of  the  group  of  clerks  who  had  with 
angry  looks  been  loitering  about  Phil  during  this  scene. 

"  Bought  it  of  an  Indian,  for  I  saw  you  do  it,"  was 
the  prompt  reply.  "  So  did  I  ;"  "  and  I,"  spoke  up  two 
more.  "  Hustle  him  out !  What  does  he  mean  by 
coming  here  and  insulting  one  of  us  !"  cried  others. 

For  once,  prudence  got  the  better  of  Phil's  anger, 
and,  though  he  believed  at  that  moment  he  could  thrash 
all  the  clerks  in  the  store,  he  wisely  concluded  not  to 
try.  "  I'll  settle  with  you  at  some  other  time,"  he  said 
to  Simon  Goldollar;  "  and,  in  the  meantime,  if  you  don't 
want  to  be  pitched  overboard,  you'd  better  not  come 
skulking  about  our  camp  in  the  night  again." 

Then,  throwing  down  the  fragment  of  watch-chain 
with  all  its  charms,  except  the  fur -seal's  tooth,  at- 
tached, he  cast  a  contemptuous  glance  at  the  clerks, 
and  strode  by  them  and  out  of  the  store,  before  they 
could  make  up  their  minds  whether  to  hustle  him  or  not. 

When  Phil  related  this  incident  to  Serge,  the  latter 
chided  him  for  venturing  into  the  "lion's  den,"  as  he 
called  it,  without  taking  him  along. 

"But  it  was  my  quarrel  and  not  yours,"  answered 
the  Yankee  lad. 

"Phil,  you  know  better  than  to  say  that.  In  a 
friendship  that  has  been  cemented  as  ours  has,  by  the 
sharing  of  dangers  and  pleasures,  joys  and  sorrows, 
starvation  and  plenty,  one  cannot  have  a  quarrel  nor  a 
trouble  that  does  not  belong  equally  to  the  other. 
That  is  what  I  take  to  be  the  very  meaning  of  the 
word  friendship." 

"  Right  you  are,  old  man  !  and  I  won't  do  so  again. 
As  it  was,  I  came  out  of  it  unharmed;  and  now  that  we 
have  recovered  the  fur-seal's  tooth,  luck,  according  to 
your  belief,  must  be  on  our  side." 


264  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

Soon  after  this,  depredations  on  the  camp  having  al- 
most entirely  ceased,  Gerald  Hamer  relieved  our  lads 
from  guard  duty,  and  set  them  to  collecting  drift-wood 
on  the  beach,  to  be  cut  up  and  used  as  fuel  under  the 
boiler  of  the  new  steamboat,  the  Chimo,  as  she  had 
been  christened  at  her  launching. 

As  all  the  drift  in  the  vicinity  of  St.  Michaels  had 
been  gathered  up  for  use  in  that  fort,  Phil  and  Serge 
were  compelled  to  go  long  distances  up  the  beach, 
gather  what  logs  they  could  find  into  rafts,  and  pole 
them  to  the  camp.  After  three  of  such  rafts  had  been 
successfully  landed,  they  went  one  day  several  miles 
from  camp  for  the  one  more  that  would  be  necessary 
to  complete  their  stock  of  fuel. 

They  worked  hard  all  day  at  the  collecting  of  this, 
and,  at  length,  shortly  before  sunset,  had  made  ready  a 
larger  raft  than  usual.  They  were  in  great  haste,  for 
they  feared  darkness  might  overtake  them  before  they 
reached  camp.  Finally,  Serge,  who  stood  on  the  for- 
ward or  outer  end  of  the  raft,  push-pole  in  hand,  called 
out  to  Phil,  who  had  on  long  wading-boots,  to  shove 
off. 

Into  that  shove  Phil  threw  all  his  strength,  so  that 
the  mass  of  logs  had  gathered  good  headway  by  the 
time  the  deepening  water  compelled  him  to  scramble 
on  board.  He  sat  still  for  a  minute,  or  until  the  raft 
was  nearly  one  hundred  yards  from  shore,  tri  recover 
his  breath.  Then  he  suddenly  sprang  to  his  feet,  cry- 
ing "  Stop  her,  Serge  !  stop  her  !  I  have  left  my  pole 
on  shore." 

As  Serge  hurriedly  tried  to  comply  with  this  request, 
his  pole,  catching  under  the  moving  mass,  was  snapped 
short  off.  A  strong  wind  was  blowing  off  the  land, 
and  instantly  both  lads  realized  the  danger  of  their 
situation. 

"How  could  I  have  been  so  careless  !"  exclaimed 


A   PROSPECT    OF   SNOW-SHOES    AND    SLEDGES        265 

poor  Serge,  his  face  pale  with  dismay.  "  It  wasn't  your 
carelessness,  old  man;  it  was  mine,"  replied  Phil.  "If 
I  hadn't  left  that  wretched  pole  on  shore,  we  could  have 
managed  her  easy  enough.  Now  I  am  going  to  do 
my  best  to  repair  my  fault." 

As  he  spoke,  the  impetuous  lad  began  pulling  off  his 
boots. 

"  No,  Phil,  you  mustn't  try  that,"  said  Serge,  at  the 
same  time  laying  a  detaining  hand  on  the  other's 
shoulder.  "  The  water  is  too  cold  for  you  to  swim  to 
the  shore  and  back  again.  Besides,  I  doubt  if  you 
could  catch  the  raft,  at  the  rate  the  wind  is  now  mov- 
ing her." 

"But  I  can  wade  more  than  half-way,"  objected 
Phil. 

"  Not  on  this  sticky  mud  bottom.  I  don't  believe 
you  could  wade  ten  steps." 

"  What  can  we  do,  then  ?  We  can't  sit  tamely  here 
and  drift  out  to  sea.  Oh,  Sergef  the  horror  of  it  !  the 
terror !  the  awf  ulness !  We  can't  endure  it  again. 
Let  us  both  take  to  the  water,  and  make  a  try  for  the 
shore  together.  Yes,  old  man,  that  is  what  we  must 
do  !  There  is  no  other  way." 

With  this,  Phil,  who  had  already  got  rid  of  his  boots, 
began  to  throw  off  his  coat. 

"  Hold  on,  Phil !  I  see  something  that  looks  like  a 
boat!  Yes,  it  is  a  native  boat  coming  from  up  the 
beach,  and  towards  us." 

Serge  was  right.  In  a  few  minutes  more  a  large 
bidarrah,  filled  with  native  employes  of  the  trading- 
post,  drew  near,  and  its  occupants  stopped  rowing  a 
short  distance  from  the  raft,  to  see  what  the  lads  were 
doing. 

"  Come  and  take  us  off!"  shouted  Phil.  "  Don't  you 
see  that  we  are  helpless  ?" 

"How  much  you  give?"  asked  a  leathern-faced  old 


266  THE  FUR-SEAL'S  TOOTH 

Eskimo,  who  sat  in  the  stern,  and  seemed  to  command 
the  craft.  "  You  give  ten  dollar  ?" 

"Yes,"  whispered  Phil;  "  we  will  give  you  anything 
you  want,  when  we  get  back  to  camp." 

"  No  ;  give  him  now." 

"  But  we  haven't  any  money  with  us." 

"Then  me  go.  Good-bye."  The  bidarrah  actually 
began  to  move  ahead,  while  the  face  of  the  old  image 
in  the  stern  was  rendered  still  more  hideous  by  a  ma- 
licious grin. 

"Hold  on  !"  screamed  Phil,  in  desperation.  "I  will 
give  you  this,  and  it  is  worth  many  times  ten  dol- 
lars." 

The  bidarrah  came  a  little  closer,  that  the  old  man 
might  see  what  was  offered. 

"All  light,"  he  said,  holding  out  his  hand  for  the 
coveted  prize. 

In  another  moment  the  lads  had  crossed  the  narrow 
divide  between  a  deadly  danger  and  certain  safety, 
and  the  fur-seal's  tooth  had  found  a  new  owner. 

Soon  after  this  narrow  escape  from  imminent  peril, 
our  lads  bade  farewell  to  the  N~orsk,  which  steamed  away 
to  the  southward,  bearing  all  of  Gerald  Hamer's  party 
save  those  who  were  to  follow  his  lead  into  the  far  in- 
terior. She  also  bore  Nikrik,  who  carried  with  him  a 
large  package  of  letters  wrapped  in  oil-skin,  which  he 
was  instructed  to  deliver  unopened  aboard  the  first 
south-bound  vessel  that  should  touch  at  the  Pribyloff 
Islands.  Thus,  although  Mr.  Ryder  did  not  receive 
his  son's  letter,  he  learned  of  his  whereabouts,  and,  filled 
with  a  new  hope,  ordered  the  schooner  Philomel  to  be 
headed  towards  distant  St.  Michaels. 

At  length,  one  morning  in  late  September,  after  many 
vexatious  delays,  the  steamboat,  with  whose  fortunes 
our  lads  had  cast  their  own,  was  laden  and  ready  to 
start  for  the  Yukon.  With  fluttering  flags  and  de- 


A   PROSPECT    OF    SNOW-SHOES   AND    SLEDGES         267 

fiant  whistle  she  steamed  away  from  inhospitable  St. 
Michaels,  towing  a  dozen  native  boats  behind  her. 

"  Hurrah  !"  shouted  Phil  Ryder,  as-  he  and  Serge 
stood  on  her  upper  deck.  "  We  are  off,  at  last.  Hur- 
rah for  snow-shoes  and  sledges  !  I  say,  old  man,  I'm 
glad  we  got  away  before  that  craft  came  in.  She  may 
be  bound  to  Oonalaska,  or  somewhere  down  among 
the  islands,  and,  if  so,  I  suppose  we  should  have  felt  it 
our  duty  to  go  with  her.  But  you  can't  stop  us  now, 
old  ship !  You're  too  late !" 

The  craft  to  which  he  thus  referred  was  a  small 
schooner  beating  up  the  sound.  From  her  deck  Mr. 
John  Ryder  was  scanning  the  oncoming  steamboat 
through  a  powerful  telescope.  Suddenly  it  fell  from 
his  hands,  as  he  cried  out,  in  wild  excitement : 

"  Thank  God,  Jalap  Coombs,  our  long  search  is  end- 
ed !  There  is  my  boy — there,  on  that  steamer  !  We 
can  hail  him,  and  have  him  alongside  in  five  minutes 
more." 

"Right  you  are,  sir,"  replied  the  mate,  peering 
through  the  glass  the  other  had  dropped.  "It  looks 
like  the  young  scamp,  and  I  believe  it  is  him,  but  don't 
ye  be  dead  sartain  ye've  got  him  till  ye  lays  hands 
on  him.  As  my  friend  old  Kite  Roberson  uster  say, 
'  Eels  is  never  so  slippery  as  when  they's  caught.' " 


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